


Seraph. Homs.

by anibrivity



Series: Sieged Elysium AU [2]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alvis is Ontos (Xenoblade Chronicles), Angst, Battle, Canon Continuation, Crossover, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Headcanon, Original Character(s), Trauma, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Spoilers, Xenoblade Chronicles Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anibrivity/pseuds/anibrivity
Summary: - ACT 2 -Pneuma defends Elysium. Ontos returns.
Series: Sieged Elysium AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884208
Comments: 28
Kudos: 28





	1. Prologue - Angel

**Author's Note:**

> ATTENTION.  
> This is the SECOND ACT of an AU Series: Sieged Elysium.  
> I won't stop you from starting here, but you will not have *any* idea what is going on in the context of the larger narrative.  
> You have been formally warned. I am getting *no-one* up to speed.  
> **Read ACT I - Lover. Fool.: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25796053/chapters/62657476

\-- _Elysium, 31XX. --_

_\-- Two weeks after “the first attack”. --_

  
  


_“We’ve got nothing to talk about. You should know why I’m here. Let me through.”_

The sliding doorway of The Space Building, home to The Space Association, closed behind me a second or two after I had got inside.  
The security guards at the entrance before the reception desk were on high alert - I noticed they were even given rifles recently.   
They didn’t have those before. Not before two weeks ago, when... _g-goddammit...dammit. Dammit!_

Of course, I knew.  
I knew exactly why they had them now.  
That day, two weeks ago, when those black machines attacked...Elysium wouldn’t ever forget it. _I’d never forget it._

Honestly, they were pissing me off even more than I already was.   
And I was _furious._

Could they even use those things? You couldn’t have been properly trained in such a short time.  
But, now that I thought about it, Mor Ardain, even post-Alrest, never really dropped their whole schtick about being militarized in _some_ fashion all the damn time.

It’s something I’ve never liked about them.   
How selfish do you have to be to parade around the notion that heavy weapons “will still be needed someday”, after everything that was done to _stop_ the wars on Alrest?   
The world _all of us_ were suffering on?

Oh. But I guess _I’m_ the funny one now.  
I gave them so much shit for remaining a weaponized state. I told them they didn’t need it anymore, that Elysium would be safe for everyone. I gave them so many promises and I had so much hope.

I couldn’t keep them, those promises. Because I let Elysium be torn asunder.  
I couldn’t even take _my own advice_ . If I were as stuck up in reality as I tried to be then, I’d have let them take apart all six of the remaining Siren.  
Now, the four Siren that I’ve got left are still being kept here. No way those are coming apart.

Lowly security officers for every building, well, the ones that were still _intact_ , were armed.  
Public Security in general was all over the damn city.  
Since two weeks ago, there’ve been about three total attacks from those Black Artifices.  
And right here, in Mor Ardain...an entire sector still lies in waste. Blasted to bits. _By me._

I hate it.  
I hate it all.  
I hate the attacks.  
I hate seeing everything with a pulse carrying a weapon.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.   
This wasn’t-  
Dammit.  
These security guards are gonna make me lose it...

One thing was for certain.   
They were in my way, sure, but it wasn’t to keep me from getting where I needed to go.  
They looked…concerned. They looked sad. Was it me? Had to be.  
  


“I-I, sure, but, A-Angel? Is everything- * _oof*_ \- ”

I shove both security officers out of my way.  
  


Is everything alright? Was that what you wanted to ask me?  
The answer should be all over my face.

So save it.  
I won’t be in the mood to talk for a while.

It’s torture that I’ve got to do it _now_.

“Where is he? Major Davis called me here _hours_ ago - he should have been ready.” I hiss as I eye down the receptionist. I didn’t like that she had to look so afraid at the person everyone in Elysium was calling “The Angel”, but I wasn’t about to apologize for it. I’ve had...a rough two weeks.  
  


“N-No, you’re right. A-And he is, or he should be, at least...One m-moment.” 

She made a few choice keystrokes and eventually had my answer ready for me.

“He’s where he always is. Room 400. H-Have a nice day…A-Angel.”

I hate that name. So much.  
But I can’t bring myself to tell them.  
I can’t take away what little hope they’ve got.  
  


_\- Room 400, Major’s office -_

“...So ya made it.” The Major sighed pretty heavily.

“Yeah. I have. What do you want?” 

I’m sick. Sick of this place.  
Sick of looking at that hollowed out sector. Sick of seeing the destruction.  
So whatever The Major needs me back in Mor Ardain for had _better_ be good.

  
I haven’t slept. Not a wink since I awoke in that infirmary.  
I can hardly close my eyes without seeing it again.  
The glowing eyeball of that enormous and hideous mechanical _fiend_ that was etched into my mind.  
  


And despite that it’s been weeks since then-  
My fingers subsist in tremble from it all. I still feel like I’ve lost it.  
The sensation of my nylon tights seething into my skin by the cockpit’s heat _refuses_ to leave me.

So please, Major.  
I’m so close to breaking. It’s not even the least bit a joke.  
_Make this worth my time_.

“Take a seat. I...I know it’s been rough.” He sighs through his words. Being the comforting type has never come easy to him. Never was much for words either. It’s something that, in my time working for his organization, I’ve grown to accept. I don’t so much mind the quiet types.

I’m pretty sure he sensed as soon as I walked into his office how things have been for me. He probably felt like just calling me here in the first place, making me _have_ to see those things again, was walking on eggshells in and of itself. 

“...I’m good, Major.” My voice stammers for the first time today. The look he gave me after my reply was nothing short of lamentable. We’ve worked very closely together on Project Stargaze, even considering each other as friends, with that relationship, along with my status as “Aegis”, being the pure basis for him making me captain of that voyage.

He definitely heard me choke up. And I knew that all of this was hard for him too.   
Mor Ardain is his home. His soul. The Space Association is like a blood relative to him.  
As furious as I am in this moment, seeing him look...well, awful, made it extremely difficult for me to want to give him a hard time.

But, I still don’t want to talk. I still _don’t_ want to be here.

“...Coffee, then? Also, you know you can just call me “Davis”, Pneuma.” 

“No. I said I’m good, Major. Just tell me why I’m here. Keep this to business.” 

I hate having to put distance between us like this. I despise being this _fragile_ .  
You’re my friend. You really are. We believed in finding a new home for Elysium together.

And now, I’m also sure, whatever you called me up here for...probably wasn’t what you actually wanted to talk about.   
But I can’t talk. Not now. I can’t discuss _any_ of this right now, or I’ll break into a million pieces.

He sighs once more. “...Alright.”  
  


Before I even realize, I throw my finger up in front of myself in protest. “N-No..I-” the pitch in my voice skyrockets as the whine jumps out of me before I shove it right back in. I don’t think he caught me. _I can’t do this right now._

Major Davis finally moves away from the window behind his desk, at last being able to take his eyes off the harshness of it all. The reality. I watched him transition over to the other side of his desk to face me. He slid his mug of hot Coffee right along with him, and, without thinking, I moved closer to him as well. I was just inches in front of him now, but I couldn’t worry about why. I had to keep my composure.  
  


_Don’t lose it. Make this quick._

“D-Da - Major…” His face tilted a bit when he heard me sigh. I think he knew, but was leaving it alone on purpose. “...S-S...Sector 4-RD. Are there any plans for that?” breaking my own word from earlier so quickly hurt. It hurt like hell, _all of it._ But I couldn’t resist...not while looking right into his amber eyes.

He clears his throat at the same pace as my beating heart. “...It was a lot of damage.” _That_ was putting it lightly. “It’ll cost a lot of money. It’s money Mor Ardain, thankfully, _has_ , but not money we thought we’d have to spend all at once, and so quickly.”

I clutch one of my arms in my hand, gently rubbing it, trying everything not to remember seeing my own bloodied reflection overtop of that shattered fiberglass. 

The Major continued. “Don’t you worry. I’m going to draft some reconstruction roadmaps up over the coming days. I hope to get work started on all of that soon. And...you just go ahead and focus on those machines. No need to pitch in.” 

I barely acknowledge it, but in the reflection of the window behind us I could see the small smile that formed on my face. I nodded, allowing that to serve as gratitude enough.

Apparently noticing the smile himself, he let go of a blank, single chuckle. I could barely consider it a laugh, just lighthearted acknowledgement.

“Honestly Pneuma, you damn sure threw us all for a loop with that stunt. You’re as strong as you said you were, but let’s dial it back for next time. Ether decontamination,” the Major sets his mug down, using his free hand to scratch his scruffy, black hair, “...that stuff takes forever, ya know?” 

My head runs cold.  
My heart runs even colder.  
Without thinking, my body moves, like a ghost had just possessed me.

I hear a loud pop in the air before coming back to my senses.  
He was wincing right underneath me, a bit lopsided, clutching the end of his desk for balance.  
I’d smacked the ever living shit out of him.

“.. _That’s_ **_not_ ** _funny!”_ My voice cracks again and goes raspy. “What the hell’s wrong with you?!”

I feel tinglings in the back of my neck as I watch the Major rise back to eye level with me.

“...N-Ngh...Y-Yep, I deserved that. Deepest apologies.” 

I jerk back to a few inches away from him, barely focusing.  
I’m hurt. I’m ashamed. I’m angry. But not at him. Not really. He’s just who was in front of me.  
_Goddammit. I feel it coming…_

He finally stares back at me. I shake my head, looking off to the side.  
I was apologetic, but in no mood to say sorry.

The silence in the air would become suffocating before long, however.  
It was honestly already starting to torture me.

I couldn’t let it stay like this, especially because we hadn’t even gotten to what he called me for.  
  


I hiss, and I mean _hiss_. “...Why’re you in charge of that all of a sudden, anyway? Your thing’s supposed to be space operations, right? The Elys Council take your toys away? Or are you just the only one equipped for Mor Ardain’s cleanup?” 

He speaks. It’s a bit softer, though. “...It’s both. But not in the way you think. I’m choosing to put my “toys” down for a little while.” 

“Oh?”

He closes his eyes. “...No way in hell we’re reupping Project Stargaze with Elysium like this. And, well, The Elys Council…” this next part seemed really difficult for him, “They aren’t looking too hot. Barely a government right now, if I’m being honest with you. The attack on Torigoth a week ago, by those same... _things,_ well, even with your strength,” his eyes open again, “they just couldn’t keep things running. I called them up, asking for anything they needed help with. They told me “ _everything.”_ And so I took over as the acting official body for Elysium.”

I shut my eyes, returning to rubbing my arm.  
I choke back a sniffle, but I can’t choke hard enough to stop my voice cracking again. 

“O- _Oh…_ ”

“Hey, hey. Pneuma, come on. Don’t get all down on me now. You’re doing what you can. That’s strength. That’s what matters. Nobody could have predicted all of this hell would erupt two weeks ago. We just have to do what we can, and _you’re_ the best we’ve got.” 

I still hate this.  
It’s never enough.  
I can never do enough.

“Ugh…,” I begin wincing myself now. I already lost my composure once during this talk, so stitching myself back up is extra difficult. “I-...M-Major…”

“Yeah? Take it easy.”  
  


“I’m...I’m going to try to find a way...A way to keep Elysium safe. I can fight those monsters, even the much bigger ones, but it won’t mean a damn thing if they’re allowed to run rampant all over my home, taking everything away little by little. If I keep fighting them this way, Elysium will be ransacked. _I don’t even know anything about them._ I-I need time, even if that’s the last thing on our side right now…But I promise- _I promise_ I’ll find a fix.”  
  


Davis moves from a stand to sitting up on top of his wide desk, his coffee mug now being clutched firmly at his lap. Both of us were out of ideas, really. I could feel it. I’m sure he could too. But we had to find a way, even if it was going to be from nothing. 

I wasn’t losing Elysium.  
Not in a million goddamn years.  
  


I could never  
_Ever look my husband Rex in the eye if I let everything we worked for be torn out of my grip._

  
“Take your time. None of this is a walk in the park, that’s for certain. Even if the clock’s ticking, we don’t really have a choice. I hate to keep saying we need you, but we really do. All of Elysium does. We’re eternally humbled that you fight like this for us, and we’re gonna support you as much as possible. I’ll keep the citizens of Elysium from getting too restless. That, you can leave to _me._ ”

I felt myself smile a bit again. “I...Thanks. Seriously...D-Davis.”

For the past two weeks, I’ve been endlessly worried.  
Dragging myself all over Elysium, trying to fend those demons off.  
I could feel it taking a toll on me.  
  


This _isn’t_ going to last. And so I had to figure something, _anything_ out, and soon.  
It was, at least, good to know that Elysium had my back in all of that.  
Even if I wish they’d drop the “Angel” shit. 

I sigh, finally letting go of the breath I’d been holding. “...Hey, I think we got off track. What did you want from me again, Davis?”

With his mug empty now, Davis had finally set it down. He looked at me with a half smirk. I say “half” because I could feel the embarrassment laced within it. He hung his head shortly after flashing it.

“Just...wanted to see a friend again, I guess. I’ve been in and out of meetings the past few days. All I see are scared people. People just as clueless as I am. I’m not so good at just picking up a phone, but I’ve been worried sick about you ever since I heard about you waking up in the infirmary after the Sector 4-RD blast. I thought if I tried to get you over here “formally”...act like I did the paperwork or some shit to make it seem important, well, I’d at least get to see how you were doing.”

I finally heard _his_ voice crack for once.

And when I realized what he had just said...that’s when I knew.

Davis, he was...scared.

Just like me.  
Just like all of Elysium.

He was afraid.  
_I was afraid._

But we were still here.  
Still alive.

I was furious.  
He was determined.

The _both_ of us…  
We lost people.

_Important people.  
_ _People who believed._

_On that ship two weeks ago._ _  
_ _They had hope._

_On that ship two weeks ago._ _  
_ _They chased their dreams._

_On that ship two weeks ago.  
_ _I was captain._

_On that ship two weeks ago.  
_ _I was supposed to die._

But I was alive.  
And when I realized that-

It happened again.  
I lost my composure. All of it.

I leapt into his arms. Unable to stop the tears. He caught me as I groaned, now a sobbing mess. “I-I’m... _I’m sorry...I’m sorry...I’m so sorry...I lost them. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t get back in time. I couldn’t save them. I was captain - I should have died with them...D-Davis...Davis!”_

This is the area I knew he didn’t excel in.  
He was never much for words for comfort.  
But he answered my call for embrace as best he could.  
  


“Pneuma...You and me both. Those brave folks on that ship - _we both_ lost em. I couldn’t tell you how many drinks I had the night I found out. But I ain’t ever gonna blame you for it. I made you captain for a reason. You haven’t let me down a _single_ time before. And Elysium's dream? We can bring it back. We _have_ to, for those astronauts, _our_ crew, that are drifting souls now.”

* * *

\-- _Present day Elysium, 51XX --_

_\-- 50 years after “the promise” --_

The Center was desolate out of combat, as always.   
But today, there was a respite.  
Alicorn hadn’t attacked at all. They didn’t attack yesterday, either.

On days like this, I spend all my time, well, just thinking.  
About everything. There were too many memories to go over, but I somehow combed all of them, each day that The Center was empty.

Maybe it’s how I stay sane.  
Maybe it’s also how I stay furious.

Alicorn is no more in my reach than they were when I first put Elysium under this barrier.  
I’d more than come to be accustomed to staring at the tint it gave to the sky. The somber emerald.

Maybe it’s how I continue to put up with the name “Angel”.   
Maybe it’s how I’m able to keep believing.

And I _had_ to keep believing.  
In this barrier.  
  


In The Conduit.  
In the people.  
  


In the Nopon.  
In the families.  
  


In the friends.  
In the grownups.  
  


In the children.  
In all of my old war buddies.  
  


In my love, Rex.  
In my _true_ home, also Rex.

In…

“Ontos…”  
  


...that promise. The promise you gave to me some fifty years ago.

“Brother...are you really still out there? Have you made it? At all?”

I stare at the shell once more. The sun gleams in my face.  
The green tint...It’s sad. But also, it was protecting something.

My home.  
And all of my hope.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd we're off! Welcome to ACT II of Sieged Elysium.  
> Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who enjoyed and read through Act I, I welcome all of you back with open arms and love.
> 
> Now that the story is much larger, I'm going to be trying out a new style of narration.  
> As I'm sure you've gathered, Pneuma is still our main character and narrator, but I'm having to describe a lot more.
> 
> As always, I love all of your comments!! Please tell me anything you think, I respond to every single one.


	2. Warmth and Courtesy

“Ah...Guess it’ll be getting late soon.” I kicked up some dust in front of me and sighed.

The sunset has never quite looked the same.  
And seeing the tint of emerald across the sky for two thousand years...  
Well, it’s admittedly made it hard.

Hard to remember,  
just what the old sky looked like.  
Elysium’s sky.

And Alrest’s, too.  
The clouds above.  
The cloud’s beneath.

It’s been difficult for me.  
Difficult for me to believe.  
That I’ll ever look up at another clear sky again.

A sky of tender blue,  
a sky of loving white.  
 _My_ sky is emerald.

It’s…  
Just how it has to be for now.  
But-

“Even though…”  
  


Even though it’s difficult.  
I still try to imagine it.  
I try to imagine the sky I shared with my loved ones.

Even though it’s difficult.  
I still try to imagine it.  
I try to imagine that I can share the same sky with them again someday.

So...

“...It’s been a while...I’m still holding on.”

Just, don’t let me down okay?  
  


“Okay, brother?”

I know you must be...working your bu-

Out of nowhere, dust plumes up from behind me, casually assaulting my throat, whilst also bringing a sharp breeze with it. “A-Ack! Agh- Ughhhh. What the heck?!” 

I immediately throw my guard up, turning to face the direction of all the dust. I’m hoping that my assumption of Alicorn staying put today...remains right. 

When the sound, and breeze, of his strong, heavy Titan wings hits my ears, I relax again immediately. The hovering sight of an old friend, and the smell he brought to the desolate wasteland, the smell of an old pal, was able to keep my nerves out of frenzy. I don’t get to just chill all that much, not these days.

  
  


For just a little while, someone had wanted to keep me company.   
The only one allowed through the barrier, as evidenced by the emerald sigil I’ve placed on his forehead.  
Out of all of the living in Elysium, none were more welcome a sight as the Fonsettian Titan.

“My bad! Didn’t startle ya, did I?” 

Oh, you big fluffy thing, you.  
Come here.

The wide, fuzzy wings tucked themselves in as the young Titan landed near me. “Man, is it always _this_ dry ova’ here?”

Without saying anything, I sprint right over to him, collapsing my armor into Ether particles and leaving nothing except my nylon tights and jumpsuit on me. 

And of course I couldn’t _leave_ the armor on.  
It gets all prickly on him!

_“~Azurrrrddaa!~”_ I leap right onto the side of his massive body, latching onto his fur for grip so I could climb onto his back. He’s no Gramps in the size department, not _quite_ yet, but he was absolutely getting there. The amount of fur on him is just about the only thing he _didn’t_ get directly from his dad. But that was understandable. Elysium was peaceful when he was born, and he never grew up needing to shed any of it.  
  


Honestly, Gramps,  
Your little man might have you beat here.

You may have been a lot bigger, but all the grass? I could do without.  
This guy may as well just be a huge pillow.

I still miss you though. A lot.  
I’ll never forget the sacrifice you made, knowing the hardship that was coming for Elysium.

  
His cry is nearly as heartfelt as mine. “Haha! Good to see ya’, Pneums. I know I’ve been out of your hair for a while.” 

I stroke the fur along his neck. “Oh, think nothing of it, ya sweetheart. I’m glad whenever you come to see me - besides, it gets too dangerous here sometimes, anyway. I wouldn’t want you getting caught up in battle with me, even if you _can_ fight.” 

That’s right.  
Just like his father, he was no slouch when he needed to be.  
  


But, even with his latent prowess, he’s untrained.  
That...I guess was my fault, for not seeing all of this on the horizon and putting him through the wringer. 

But, for as much battling as I had to do with Gramps…  
There was just _no way_ I could wish anything like that on his son.

It seems he’s grown accustomed to his powers lately.  
So he’s actually been a massive help.

Whenever Alicorn attacks, he circles the inner shell, ready to pick off any mech’s that manage to get through.  
They almost never do, but each strike, he takes just as deathly serious as the last.

It’s something that does wonders for my anxiety.  
If only a little.

Elysium had an unsung hero. Truly, it did.  
Azurda was his name.

“You were, uh, I noticed you standin’ pretty still back there. Seems like the sky had you fixed...Anything on your mind?”

I roll over onto my back, feeling Azurda kneel into the ground to make himself flatter for me. I sigh. “Eh...What else? Alicorn...those awful machines...the strength of the barrier, Elysium…s’all I really _can_ think about nowadays.” 

Azurda’s back vibrates as I hear him groan. “Yeah...You ain’t wrong, I s’pose. Pops knew what he was doin’ back when he joined Elysium, what wit’ all those other Titans. But...I don’t think nobody coulda predicted things’d turn out like this.”

Gramps was a smart man.  
He really was.

What he did for Elysium was truly noble.  
But...something about that act still aches me.

“Azurda...Don’t you wish your father, ya know, didn’t do what he did?” I stare up into the green tint of the shell, wishing my eyes would pierce it, and show me what the heavens looked like.  
  


Gramps, I...I kinda just wanna talk to you again, ya know?

Azurda’s voice is closer now. I wasn’t looking at him, but I could tell he was staring at his back. “Sure, I guess he wasn’t massive or nothin’. But, I think the gesture in of itself...was somethin’ to appreciate.”

“Oh, really? I dunno...I guess I kinda just wanted your old man to have a proper resting place.”

I hear a hearty chuckle. “Heh. Where’s a big oaf like him gettin’ buried anyway? He may not have been as massive as somma’ the other guys, but Pops was still huge.”

“Hmm...O-Oh. _Ooo!”_ I yelp as Azurda shifts about playfully, rolling me off of the side of his back, scooping me up into his wing. In one fell motion, he throws me up like a toy through the air above him, using the opposite wing to catch me, allowing me to roll down right onto his back again. I still have to latch onto his fur to not fall, though.  
  


“Pretty sure Elysium ain’t got no ovens big enough to cremate the guy eitha’.”  
  
“Oh, jeez, Azurda, now when’d you learn to do that?!” I playfully scoff.  
  


“Heh. New dogs learn new tricks. Besides, ya looked pale, Pneums. Really pale. Like ya needed some energy.” He transitions back to his previous sitting position. “But, look. Alls’ I’m sayin’ is Pops did what he wanted to do in his heart. Can’t blame the old crony for that. Would I have liked to see a nice lookin’ grave for ‘im? Sure. But it ain’t like Fonsett forgot his legacy.” 

Yeah. I guess I could understand.  
With how smart the big geezer was, I’m sure he knew.  
  


I’m sure he knew both what Elysium was about to face.  
And that his sacrifice wasn’t going to mean much.

I guess what Azurda is trying to say here is…  
That his Father acted out of love in his final moments.  
  


True.  
Unbridled love.

“Hmph... _Gramps…”_ I couldn’t help whining again. But Azurda’s words did reach me. “Y-Yeah...I can see what you mean. I just - I really miss him.”

“You and me both, Pneums.” 

I scoot up onto his neck, hanging just in-between the bridge of his shoulder blades and the inner tips of his wings. I let one of my arms drape off of his body, nuzzling my face into his fur. I use my other arm to rub and scratch up under his chin, which he appreciates. 

Azurda must have known how much I needed this today. I couldn’t help kissing his fur as I continued gliding my hands across the lower portions of his chin and jaw. 

I felt it all melt away.   
It was bliss, being with an honest to goodness friend, even if I knew the reprieve may not last.

“Ey. Pn-Pneuma…”

Huh. That’s the first time you didn’t use a nickname. “Y-Yeah?”

He raises his chin enough to make the palm of my hand out of reach. “Ya know, the Ether in the air...It’s real calm. Like, _pretty darn_ calm if ya ask me. Now I may not know who those Alicorn people are, but something about what I’m feelin’ around right now…” He lowers his chin again, but turns to face me.

I move down into his back again so that I don’t fall off. “...?”

“Well...Huh.”  
  


“Hmm? Spit it out, Azurda.” I nudge him softly.

He sighs, just a bit. “Wen’sa last time you _slept_? Like, f’realsies slept. I know ya like to stand around with your eyes closed and whatnot, but that ain’t sleepin. What wit’ all the fightin’ you do...It’s gotta be ailin ya, girl.” 

Ah.  
The ever elusive question.  
  


 _When-  
_ _When_ **_do_ ** _I ever sleep?_

I giggle, or at least, try to. “Hehe...Uh-...Week, maybe? Two?...It’s - probably more like three, huh.”

Azurda rocks his large head from side to side. “Tsk. Tsk. That ain’t no good on ya.” 

“I-..Well, I just don’t know how I can fix that...I’m too worried, Azurda. You understand.”

I feel his back vibrate again as he groans. “Well, that’s parta’ why I showed up today. Told ya’ before how the Ether’s pretty clear n’ all, right? It wasn’t no joke. I think you might honestly be good for a few days, Pneums.” 

“Huh...Ya think so?”

There certainly have been times where _I’ve_ thought so, only to be proven wrong the next day, or even _hours_ later.  
I don’t go to my home in Fonsett much anymore for that reason.

But…  
Now that he’s mentioning it…  
S-Shit...I’m starting to feel it.

“We Titans got that six sense when it comes to the way Ether fields move around and all that. I uh...can’t really explain it to ya’ without it taking us way into the night. But even way past the atmosphere, I can’t sense nothin’. It’s unsettlin’, honestly, but n-no use lookin the gift horse in it’s mouth. So just believe me, alright? I want you on a good night’s rest. These don’t come often for ya, okay? That’s for tha both of us.”

I roll onto my backside, looking back up at the shell. The sunset was nearly spent for us. I had a decision to make. A tough one. But...I didn’t want Azurda to worry.  
  


“...Azurda. I-...I really want to...”

“Then ya should! What’re waitin’ on? I’ll even give ya a lift back to Fonsett if it’s a big deal.”

“N-No...I mean...will it _really_ be okay, Azurda? This has happened before...and it’s gone badly...I couldn’t handle it happening again. But I trust you! I just…”  
  


He looks toward the shell along with me, speaking solemnly, more than usual. “Hmm...Well, what’dya think I’m here for?”  
  


Immediately understanding his implication, I jerk myself up onto my knees. 

I’m feeling the wash of exhaustion consume me. _It definitely was three weeks._

“A-Azurda...Azurda _no._ What are you thinking?! I couldn’t make you do that. N-No...and that’s...that’s final.”  
  


He looks back toward me. “Heh. And who d’you think you’re convincin’ sounding like you are right now? Look at ya. You’re panting more than ya probably realize.”

I place two of my fingers on my throat.  
I...He’s right.  
I’m nearly out of breath, actually.  
 _How long have I been like this?_

“Come off it, Pneums. Jus’ for a bit. Hell, I’m pretty sure I’d rough ya up anyway if _we_ went at it now. Alicorn’s outta the picture.”

“N-Ngh...That’s _cheating_ , Azurda.”

“But you see my point.”

I…  
  


“...Ugh. Y-Yeah...I do. I get it…”

I hear him snort. “So…?”  
  


Accepting defeat, I leave him with nothing but a solemn purr. “...Fine. I’ll go home today...I’ll- I’ll try to sleep. Okay? Feel better?”  
  
“Sure do. And, look, I’m no moron. If Alicorn really _does_ show up and I’m wrong, I’ll dial you up in a heartbeat.” 

“S-Silly...You’re a Titan...you ain’t dialing anyone…” And at that, I lie down on his back, letting him win completely. 

“Heh. Can’t fly or she’ll fall ova’. Guess I’m walkin’.” 

* * *

“A-Agh! Ugh...Cobwebs? Damn, how long’s it been?”

I’ll admit, I was kind of disappointed in myself.  
I’ve...really left this place alone.

The sun was pretty much out, so it was pitch black in my living room.   
I could only see in the damn place by the light of the street lamp just outside my door, which I left cracked.

“Heh. What’s next, bats?”

Almost as if on cue… “W-Wha- _Eek! Ah!..._ Oh, come on!” 

Alright, the cobwebs were cute.  
But _actual bats?!  
_ That was depressing.

“Shit. W-Where were they again…?”

Oh don’t tell me ya forgot where the _light switches are, too._

“Uh...Uhmm…O-Oh!”  
  


I found a lamp above a dresser. It was an Ether Lamp, so I didn’t need to worry about whether or not the bulb would turn on.

With a swift whisk of my finger… 

“Ah, finally, some…Oh.”

O-Oh...  
  


Damn…  
  


“Shit...this was still here, wasn’t it?”

It was a photo of one of our anniversaries, framed beautifully in gold.  
I’m pretty sure what I was looking at was our twenty-fifth.  
I remember it was the night he took me to a special Elysian festival.

There are...well, there _were plenty_ of “Elys Festivals”.  
But this one was special for a different reason.  
It was...a recreation. A recreation of the very first Elys festival.

  
  
“Damn...that’s it. That was just like the one they held a year after Elysium was properly founded…”

I remember Rex practically emptying his damn pockets to get both of my selves those dresses.  
I was _so_ mad at him. But out of love.  
He never saved a single gold when it came to me. Even when I tried to make him.

Hell, I’m pretty sure, actually, that those dresses didn’t make him go broke.  
But he did, eventually.  
Everything he bought me, er, both of my selves that night was probably what did it.

I love him.  
So.  
So much.

“R-Rex... _Rex…_ ” I stammer, trying not to cry.  
  


How long has it been since I came here? I _recognize_ everything, I guess.  
But...why does my own house feel so distant?

I...I wish I could remember the last time I’ve been here.  
Everyday is just a blur now.

All of it.  
All I do is fight.

All I do is see the same tinted sky.  
All I do is watch again and again as hollow machines topple over.

All I do is walk around and fake smiles for the people of Elysium.  
So they don’t lose hope in me.

But I just…  
All I _want_ to do…

“A-All I fucking _want...i-is…”_

_“Hey. Mythra?”_

_“H-Huh?! O-Oh…S-Shit. I’m sorry. I must have broken the link.”_

Pyra, split from her sister, walks back over to her side, the place they both previously occupied. Mythra still held the photo firmly in her hands, her eyes shaky and longing. 

The warm red clothing of her sister Blade is blanketed slowly by the soft light of the lamp as she approaches. “No...I came out on purpose.” 

Mythra hands begin to tremble as she goes from a soft grimace to a genial sadness at the photo, still unable to look away from it. Pyra gently rubs up her sister's arm, uniting her hand with that of her sister Blade’s.

“...Weren’t there good times, too? Especially this one?” Admittedly stammering through her purr, hurting as well, Pyra makes the rescue attempt she believes her sister needs.

“U-Uhn..W-Well, of course. That’s why I think I’m staring so much…”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the highlight of that night~.”

Mythra looks into Pyra’s eyes, with a single of her own eyes housing a tear, ready and waiting to fall.  
“H-Huh? Pyra...what’re you talking about?”

Pyra slides her hand under the photo. “C’mon, Mythra. You can’t have forgotten when Rex drank himself silly, bought that hot ass, fresh candied apple, and then tripped right in front of us! I _couldn’t_ stop laughing.”

Mythra scrunches her face up briefly, before it all comes back. “Oh, dammit! O’course I remember that! You were almost right on the ground with him! “Jeez! Cuh someone ‘elp! This is worse than bein burned by Brighid!”, and then it melted into his shirt so bad we had to buy him a new one for the photo here.”

Pyra giggled, brushing some hair out of her eyes. “Don’t forget the bathroom vomit scene, either.”  
  


“ _God, Pyra, don’t remind me._ We were looking **_all_ ** over the place for a damn restroom...It was awful! Especially since we were in a crowd, too?! I’m pretty sure I almost kicked his ass that night.” 

“And you would have, had I not _actually_ found where the bathroom was in that hellish slush of people.” 

“Heh...Hehe. You’re right...That was a hilarious ass night, wasn’t it?”  
  


Pyra looks to the ceiling, calling upon the husband that was no longer with them. “Hehe~. Ya better feel lucky about that, _still_ . I saved your hide, _and_ bought your shirt for the photo!” 

Mythra stops giggling and sets the photo down gently under the lamp's light. She turns toward Pyra while she isn’t looking and pulls her into a tight, heartfelt embrace. Pyra jumps at first, and then smiles deeply.

Hearing the sniffles coming from her sister Blade, Pyra takes to rubbing the back of Mythra’s head, purring softly to her. “...Feel better?”

Mythra rubs her face into Pyra’s shoulder, drying the sprinklings of tears that escaped. She sighs. “You’re somethin’ else, Pyra. I don’t know how you do it. We’ve dealt with this together, the whole time, but you’re still so strong…”

Pyra pulls apart from her sister. “It’s _because_ we’ve been together. And...well, it hurts me too...It hurts a lot. I want him back more than _anything_ , that’s why I believe we need to keep going. Rex wouldn’t want to see you like this, nor would he want to see Elysium like this.”

Mythra, unable to find her words, brushes a bit of hair out of her eyes. In a moment, she captures her thoughts again. “...Don’t you ever cry, too?”

“Mythra. _Yes._ _All the time._ When we’re joined together, ya know? It’s probably _me_ making us cry most of the time.”

Mythra swipes a playful hand at her sister. “Psshh. That doesn’t count.”

“Oh yes it _does_.” 

Mythra smirks, rolling her eyes. Pyra clasps her arm in her hand behind her back, leaning in toward her sister with a coy smile. “ _You know it does._ ”

Mythra concedes. “...Alright, alright. Cool it. Yeah, that’s us, still. It counts.”

Pyra giggles. Mythra steps forward a few beats near the dusty coffee table, spotting another ether lamp and cutting it on.

“But, ya know…”

“Huh? Yeah?”

Mythra continues speaking while scanning the room. “...You...You should maybe cry when you’re like that sometimes, if you ever have to. Ya know...and then I’d be able to do things for you too.”

Pyra places her hands on top of her chest, letting the soft moan leap straight out. “ _Aww...Mythra~.”_

“H-Hey. Don’t mention it, al- _*oof*”_

Pyra had clutched her sister into another embrace while she wasn’t noticing. Mythra was surprised, but was in no way about to complain.

She…  
She needed all the love she could get, nowadays.

“You’re sweeter than you let on.” Pyra plants a kiss atop her sister's hair. “You’re definitely deserving of Rex, no matter how many times we both mess up. And _we’re going to do this_.”

“Y-....Y-You too, Pyra…”

Pyra breaks off from her sister once again. “We...We just have to, you know?”

“Yeah? You’re gonna tell me it’s cuz of what Ontos told us, aren’t you?”  
  
“Yep. A-And I know...It’s been, what, fifty years?”

“And not short ones, either.”  
  


Pyra lowers her head a little, but doesn’t let completely go of her smile. Her lips begin to tremble just a bit. “...But I still believe in him. I really do, Mythra. And I want you to as well. Please - _please keep believing in Ontos._ ” 

Mythra turns toward Pyra at last.  
She was smiling.   
Smiling while bathed in the amber glow of the Ether Lamp.

“I...I don’t think I could _stop_. Not even if I wanted to. He...He has to come back. He promised us.”

Pyra and Mythra both meet each other's smiles. The soft light of the two lit Ether lamps shining over their hopes. Rex, on the dresser, and in the heavens. Ontos...somewhere far, far away, and yet, right there with them too.

The blonde breaks the silence. “...Wanna bathe?”

“Sure! And then let’s rest up. Azurda said we should have a few days to do so. Let’s trust him, too.”  
  


“...As long as you do, Sis.” 

* * *

The sound of hard boots invade the silent warehouse.   
The inside lit by nothing other than the cold light of the moon, tinted a somber emerald.

“Got business ‘ere?”

An armored man of slim-broad, yet clearly well toned build hoofs a few more steps in his boots, stopping just before the Argentian Salvager he wanted a word with.

“Why yes, I do.” His voice is distorted slightly through his helmet, making his tone more threatening. He doesn’t remove it.

“Spit it out then. An’ who’re ye?” 

“That, you don’t need to know. What you _do_ need to know…”  
  


“...?”

“Is this.”

On the ground, the Armored Man tosses a bag full of dubious items.  
Weapons that weren’t like a thing seen on Elysium.  
Heavily advanced tools for salvaging, as well.

At least, it’s what the Salvager observed them to be.  
The raspy Salvager scrambles from his seat, eyeing down each of the peculiar objects.

“Wh...H-Hey! What the hell’s all this? This stuff is so high-tech it’d be worth a fortune! What’re ya think yer doing, just giving me this shit?!” 

The snake-like voice pierces the helmet once more. “I’m giving you an assignment. You’re right, this stuffs’ not cheap. Of course, if you want it, there’s going to be an exchange you need to make.”

“W-Well let's have it!” The Salvager said slimily. “How much?! I’ll pay ye whateva- wait…. _Assignment?”_

The Salvager was tossed a document inside of a hard-folder. 

“That. Take up my tools and use your salvaging skills to find me what’s inside of there. Oh, and the weapons? Those’re just a bonus.”

Without even giving The Salvager an actual choice, the shadowy suit of armor leaves back through the warehouse door.

“Take care. Don’t disappoint me.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Valkyrie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> might wanna have "unfinished battle" handy for this chapter

The red blade sighs. “Hmph...The good times just never last, do they, Mythra?” Pyra clutches the upper rim of her and her sister’s open bedroom window. After cocking herself back like slingshot ammunition, she leaps about an inch off of the end of the mattress, using the momentum to send herself flying out from the opening and onto the streets of Fonsett beneath her. Landing on one palm and her legs gracefully, she turns toward the window, awaiting her hopefully refreshed, well-rested sister.

In a moment, the blonde lands in front of the redhead in much the same fashion. “You got that right. But at least Azurda really _was_ telling us the truth.” 

“Course I was.” Azurda bit the handle of the Aegis Twins’ window, closing it for them. “I got a better sense of Ether presence than even ma Pops did. Told me that himself.” 

Mythra swiped at her hair. “Yeah? Well, color me convinced now.” 

Pyra looked onwards down the main street of Fonsett city, eyeing The Center, and specifically the darkening of the emerald tint over The Center’s portion of the shell.

“Mythra, that’s them.”

“Yep. Break time’s over.” Mythra’s statement was followed by a heavy, deep breath. She missed the shaky lull of the past few days already. She missed her sleep already. She missed Pyra’s cooking already. She missed the photo of Rex, the tacky Ether lamps, and her house already.

Pyra, having gathered all she could from the silhouettes dotting the upper shell from such a far distance, turned toward her sister Blade. She’d waste no more time. 

“Mythra.”

Hearing the beckon, Mythra repeated her sister's action. “Right.”

The twin Blade’s clapped each other's hands together, clasping into each other.  
A bright emerald twinkle beamed from each of their Core Crystals, with the gems in their tiaras following suit in no less than a second. The twin Blade’s were engulfed in flashing, white light for a brief moment.

When the brief moment ended, I returned, like I always do.  
When the brief moment ended, Alicorn returned, like they always do.  
For all of our differences, we shared similarities.  
For one, never taking enough time away from each other.

For two.  
Always.  
Always fighting.  
That was how we’d grown to know each other.

How we’d grown to see each other.  
Enemies.  
Nemeses.  
Adversaries.

I closed my eyes, remembering it all in a flash.  
There it is again.  
The hatred.  
The fury.

“...Azurda.”

“Yea?”

“Don’t worry about taking me over there. I need you to get around the barrier to the cities and towns and make sure everyone is behind the danger line. Ideally, I want them all to be in their homes, as well. Think you can handle that?”

Azurda stands mightily, erecting both of his wings beneath the tinted sunlight. “As always, Pneums. I’ll get it ova’ with in no time.”

“Good boy.”

Now it was me eyeing down the horizon.  
The darkening upper shell.

Break time really was…  
Over.

“Hmm…. _Hmph!_ ” I close my eyes for a short spell, channeling my inner connection to The Conduit. Successfully, I activate my phase transfer Art: Hyper Extreme Speed.

I shoot towards The Center like an emerald laser beam.  
Break time was over.  
  


It was time to remember.  
Remember the fury.

Remember that awful day.  
It was time to bring it all back.  
So that I could go to them again.  
And allow them to me once more.  
  


My anger is why I’m able to keep doing this.  
To keep fighting them.

It’s the one thing that’s never dissipated.  
  


* * *

One.   
Another.  
The next. 

My blade singes them.  
Sears them.  
And pierces them.

These were the most common types. Black metal, red eyes, long tails, short claws, and small, vertical rotating red rings that hovered a short distance from their backs. The rings were connected remotely and allowed them their basic flight capabilities.

They weren’t much of a threat at all on their own.  
A few of them? I could take that with an arm behind my back.  
Their strength came in the form of quantity, not quality.

  
I sigh, though not because I’m struggling. “...Right on time.”

As if treating our constant battles like the rhythm to a dance, a dance to be followed gracefully, the next wave pours in through the cracked shell, raining down toward The Center in a spiraling motion, like a tornado.

Honestly, I was feeling a little bored, having to do this so much. “This never changes...I deal with you all the same way _every_ time.” I utter to myself softly.

I rush toward the middle of the arena, letting them flood right on top of me. Seemingly reckless a stunt, but in actuality, it was much more effective than waiting for them to come to me.

From the tornado descends a group of the small Artifices. Six to start, which grew to eight. Ten. Fifteen. Fourty. Eighty...well, probably.  
I hope they know I really don’t count anymore.  
Not the amount of foes.  
Or the amount of days I fight.

I don’t count any of it.  
The Center was no place for that.  
The Center was no place for pause. For considerations.

When I’m here, I don’t need to count.  
I don’t need to know how many of you there are.  
I just need to be furious.

I shove a few off of me using the Aegis Sabre. “ **_Zero Gravity_ ** **.”** I growl, stabbing my blade into the ground in front of me. An Ether Field erupts from my position, engulfing the immediate area in an emerald-charged electric blitz.

Zero Gravity interrupts their coinciding effort to dogpile me. They were now staggering in place, paralyzed. 

This is what I meant.  
You all look the same.  
You all _act_ the same.  
  


It’s like clockwork.  
Torturous clockwork.  
You fall for the same things every time.  
  


And yet.  
Elysium…  
It’s no safer.  
  


“Ugh.” I leap high into the air from the middle of the group, backflipping over to a reasonable distance away from them.

 **_“Lightning…_ ** _”_ I raise the Aegis Sabre above my head, pumping my piping hot emerald Ether through every fold of its steel. **_“Buster!!_ ** **”** In successive motions, I swipe the massive Ether charged sword through the sea of machines, ending the onslaught with a spinning slash.

Black metal and cracked red fiberglass erupt into the air in a cascade of explosions. The bodies that didn’t erupt into burning lumps of trash simply keeled over, remorselessly slamming into the ground.

The burning, charged metal and glass rained right back down, covered in smoke. Some of it hit the toppled corpses, starting small fires, which ended in more miniature explosions.

There it was again.  
The sight I’d grown to know all too well.

“Bodies…”

The sea of blank, feelingless machines on their deathbed.  
The lifeless once-scourge. 

“Ngh…” I moaned, not able to say or think much else.  
  


Maybe I was just in a better emotional state.  
I did get a lot of sleep.

So I didn’t find myself as transfixed.  
Or bewitched in horror.

Most notable, though,  
I didn’t feel like...I was a monster. Like all the other times I’ve slaughtered these machines.

I didn’t feel like I owed Alicorn something.  
Like I was the one putting Elysium in danger. 

F-Funny how that works.  
Right?

  
  
I sigh. “...Huh.” Immediately removing my eyes from the sight that was getting to be horrible.

I couldn’t stare for long or my stability would surely shatter.

“J-Just...give it some time, and-”

In a moment, it would happen again.  
Another feature of these awful devils.  
The reason why-

The reason why Elysium can never stay safe for long.  
The reason why The Center is desolate. Empty.  
The reason why I’ll lose this “war of attrition.”

I hear the ringing behind me again.   
The shallow, watery, almost dreamlike ringing.  
It was starting.

“Yep…”

The black machines. The Artifices of Alicorn.  
They were disappearing.  
I’d watched the sight before.

Even though I was looking away right now.  
I knew what was happening.  
They were fading away into red Ether particles.

I turn once again toward the sight. “...”

Just like I had expected.  
Desolate.  
Empty.

The Center was quiet again.  
Cold again.  
Dry again.

The tint of emerald over the sky filtered at least _some_ of the grey out.  
But the tint itself…  
It was still sad.  
  


It was still broken.  
It was still protecting something.  
It was still hurting, and it was getting hurt everyday.

The tint of emerald over the sky.  
It was my sky.  
It was me.

“...Was that all of them, then?” I sigh.

All of the Ether particles had floated away.  
When they ascend back to the sky along with the sound of the ringing that I always hear.  
I always think of blood.  
  


The red Ether was like blood.  
Blood flowing back up through a vein towards a heart.  
My bloodied face. 

That boiling cockpit.  
Those awful words I told myself.  
The memories of-

  
  
“L-Let me just see how Azurda is doing...Yeah. I won’t leave here if I don’t need to, but I'll go and make sure he held up his end.” 

Honestly. I wasn’t entirely sure why they kept disappearing after a short while.  
But I had a pretty good hunch.

The same group sends you playmates from the same place for over two thousand years?  
When they’re making them, supposedly, on their own?  
  


Something about _that_ just didn’t ever sit right with me.  
So yeah, I had a hunch. 

The hunch was,  
that these Artifices...were returning.

I was pretty sure.  
Every time I destroyed one.

Every time, without fail,  
They would go back to Alicorn in that particulate form.

That’s why I know.  
I know I can’t keep this up forever.  
  


That’s why I know.  
That’s why I know I’ll lose. 

That’s why I know…

“Brother…”  
  


_That’s why I need,  
_ _I need you to keep your word._ _  
_ _You promised me._

I make a little over half the length of the arena, my eyes fetching for multiple sections behind the inner shell. “Come on… Come on… Where are you Azurda?” 

In my hurried sprint, desperately looking for my friend,  
I manage to smile.  
  


I had found him, rounding up the citizens of Gormott.  
Wisping through the trees to get to the small towns, making his way to the big city, Torigoth.

I wasn’t sure whether to celebrate yet.  
The Center was empty. Desolate. 

I kept running, but I just wasn’t sure.  
In fact, I was pretty _unsure_.

Now that I was thinking about it…  
Was this really enough?  
  


I stop in my tracks, anxiety welling up in me. “...Yeah...that was - surprisingly little for today…”

They left me alone for around four days.   
Now they come back with this?

No.  
_Hell no._

I jerk back around, locking eyes with the upper shell. I use my ether to repair the damaged crystal from the previous attack. But honestly, that was just so it would look nice. The barrier in The Center is pretty much for show. The layer over the upper shell is incredibly weak. I _want_ them to break it _here_ and _nowhere else._

My fear grows the more I stare.   
I couldn’t shake it.

Alicorn knows what they want.  
They haven’t babysat me before. Weren’t going to do it now.  
  


So I keep staring.  
Waiting for them to prove me right.

My eyes fixate over the green tint of the shell for several minutes.  
Agonizing minutes.  
  


They feel like hours.  
Like days.  
  


Like forever.  
Like no time at all.

No time at all.  
Before I gasp. “...T- _That’s…”_

_Keep it together._ _  
_ _You knew this was coming._ _  
_ _Pneuma, stay composed._

“... **_A Goliath Artifice._ ** **”**

Once again, the emerald tint of the upper shell is consumed by a darkness.  
What was once multiple crowding dark figures, small ones, was now just a single one.  
And this one was _massive_ . Mechanical, and _massive._

My face ran ice cold as I watched the devil hover above the upper shell. It knew.  
It knew I was right there, waiting for it.  
It knew it wanted me.  
  


Hell if after all this time I knew or cared why.  
But that’s the common theme with all of them.  
They all want me. But they drag Elysium into it. 

They’ll never get me.  
Not after the day I became furious.  
I’d never let them. Not without having to fight just as hard as I am.

“Shit…It’s just like…”

The first time.  
The day I blasted away Sector 4-RD. 

That one was massive too.  
And though I’ve seen plenty of these in my time by now.

The memory never fades.  
My reflection on that broken, bloody glass never fades.

“But this one…”

This one, I hadn’t seen yet.  
The big ones, I call them Goliaths.  
I’ve seen plenty of them.

But the shape of this one didn’t match some of the ones I came across before.  
  


“New model?”

Had to be.  
This one was large, but rather slender, with a feminine curvature.   
The black metal over its body guided itself down to it’s waist in almost a skirt-like fashion.  
And this one _also_ didn’t sport a tail.

Whoever designed this one was very intentional about what they were interested in.  
Which made it all the more confusing to _me_ why it still sported that horrific bulging thing on its head.  
The rash-red, glowing, singular flashing bulb of an eye that’s been burned into my mind and branded onto my heart.

My balance falters a small amount. “ _N-Ngh. . .”_

The shell vibrates overtop of me, causing the ground to shake.  
Whatever they called this one, it wasn’t answering any questions of mine.  
And I had nothing to say to it, either. 

It’s massive blade pierces the upper shell.  
Next to come through it is a gigantic hand, which morphs into a cannon.

At this point, I’m already racing back towards the center of the arena. When I see that, however, I stop on a dime. “ _S-Shit!”_

The blast shakes the earth as it collides. I almost fall over, but maintain my composure in the end. The shockwave on top of the shell reverberates multiple times over the entire structure. The upper shell above The Center completely falls. The rest is fine, at least.

I channel fury from my heart.  
I channel Ether from my core.  
Both fill into my blade. Seething. 

I watch as the massive figure lowers in front of me.  
The mechanical demon, with its shape, looked almost mistakenly like a noble warrior.  
Large blade, pointed metal feet, red orbitar ring.

Bulging, rash-red eye.  
A hand such the size that if I were grabbed, I’d have plenty of room.  
And yes, of course the serial number was on it’s thigh.

I knew it had to be there, because as always with Alicorn,  
the serial numbers had their name right above them.  
I think I was already beginning to hate whoever the creep was that made this thing.

“H-Huh?”

The orbitar ring at it’s back began to rotate with increasing speed. I had to shield my eyes briefly as the red light of the ring in it’s rotation clashed heavily with the sun above it.

With my bearings recovered, I remove my hand from over my eye. What happens next is something I can’t decide is out of the ordinary or not for what I’ve dealt with.

I leap out of the way of a blast. A blast I can’t see, because it came from behind me. “N-Ngh. O’course...how _cliche_. Now that you’ve seen me do it so many times, ya figured it’s time to make some phase-shifters of your own? Huh, Alicorn?!” I dodge around four more blasts as I howl at my uninterested opponent.

“Dammit. Is there an opening anywhere?!”

_Goliath_ isn’t just a title I throw around recklessly.  
If you were a _Goliath_ Artifice, you were, at the _smallest_ , the size of Aion.  
This... _thing, it nearly eclipsed Aion._

You’d likely also think a Goliath, given its size, would be a straightforward target.  
And they were, if your favorite thing to do in battle was get absolutely nowhere.  
The metal bodies of these fuckers were tough.

And,  
Though they all appeared to share similarities  
Even the takedowns for each type of Goliath could vary.

I race to a section of The Center near an empty stretch of plains, hoping to keep it around there. I didn’t want any of those shots hitting parts of the barrier that the cities were kept safe behind.

“ _Huh?!”_ I pounce as it zips right in front of me, orbitar ring spinning even faster than before. “ _It can keep doing it?!_ ” I ask myself, knowingly not about to get an answer. It had plans of its own.

I throw the Aegis Sabre up in front of me, creating a large Ether Shield.  
I’m staring down the hollow abyss of it’s enormous cannon barrel.

I’m knocked back a short distance, and absolutely surrounded by smoke and flames.

I cough a few times. “Y-Yeah - these things’re smart -It’s going to try to attack me in this cloud.” And as soon as those words leave me lips, I sense danger. 

I leap over a slash from it’s huge sword, which it swings like nothing. I roll out of the way of another slash, still covered in the smoke, using only my instincts and Ether sense to predict where each attack will come from.

I successfully predict another slash, but this time I clash with the massive sword. “ _G-Grrr...Ngh.._ ” I hold the Aegis Sabre in position. It doesn’t let up.  
In the tension of the moment, I charge Ether into my sword from my core, using my newfound opportunity. _“S-_ **_Sun...B-Burst!!”_ **

An Art I created for desperate escapes, Sun Burst sends golden Ether energy into my sword in extreme quantities, triggering a large blast in the immediate area. The blast is amplified by all the combustible smoke in the air as well. The Artifices’ sword is knocked away from me in a crude manner, which I use as an assumption that I knocked it out of balance.

I can’t do much with that.  
Not with all this smoke.  
I have to get rid of it.  
  


I ran a short distance. “ **_Rolling Smash!_ ** **”** Slamming the Aegis Sabre into the ground, discharging another blitz of Emerald ether. This time, I made sure it was cold, with hopes of dissipating the smoke around me. 

The smoke clears, and a repeat of the event that got me stuck in this mess plays once-over.   
I’m staring the dark cannon barrel down again.

My reaction this time is to leap, allowing the shot to bounce from the ground. It detonated near the shell. _Absolutely_ not what I needed right now, but I couldn’t stay stuck defending.

“ _Yaaaaaah!!!_ ” I leap towards the Goliath, jamming the Aegis Sabre into its shoulder. I attempt to cleave through its entire arm, but before I can finish the cut-

“ _W-What?!”_

I found myself suspended in the air, alone.  
It had shifted away from my attack.  
And I was on a crash course with dirt now.  
But not for long.

_“Two can play!”_ I channel The Conduit far away, asking for its help. The divine relic answers me, allowing me to use Hyper Extreme Speed. I redirect myself in the air and control my descent, landing right in front of my foe, but not to make nice. 

No...I need to act.

“That rotating ring...That’s how it keeps doing that.” I had found my target at last. I needed a way to get to it, though. 

“I’ll just have to try speed.” Evading another shot, I use Hyper Extreme Speed to circle around the enemy. Keeping things simple, I try just to slash the ring in half.

That fails and it escapes again, leaving two blasts in retaliation careening toward me. I slash through both and they explode in mid-air. As the smoke clears from the blasts, the glowing eye of the Goliath stares into my soul. It raised it’s enormous black sword underneath me.

I use my hyperspeed to escape the air once again, avoiding the slash.  
I knew I wasn’t clipping that thing’s ring any time soon if all I planned to do was toss myself around the battlefield hoping I got lucky.   
But I had another trick in the hat.

“This’ll be a little taxing with the barrier up, but… _W-Whoa!_ ” The Goliath stops my train of thoughts by charging full speed at me, bringing it’s metal sword down with full force. I use hyperspeed to make space, but it makes chase, activating its own hyperspeed ability.

We were blitzing across The Center now, clashing with each other like rays of light in an enclosed space. We went all over the place as it met me blow for blow, even despite it’s large weapon. 

After moments upon moments of furious sword battle, I was taken back down to the dirt on my feet, still clashing with it.  
Both of us stood our absolute ground, refusing to let up.

This was my time.  
I had to put my plan into motion. _Now._

I focused on the red, spinning ring again. “ **_Genesis Sabre!!_ ** _”_

Large pools of light open up near my feet. I slash away the Goliath’s sword to break it’s stance, allowing my attack not to miss.   
A circle of light opens beneath my opponents feet, and I pour my own Ether into the pools of light around me. From the Light circle beneath the Goliath erupts _countless_ summoned swords, all created from my own Ether. 

The flurry of blades cut the rotation of the red ring slightly, and they hit each of their marks along the Goliath’s body. I watch my opponent stagger viciously within the onslaught of the countless swords. 

I look at the scene before me. “Come on...Come on...Cut that goddamn orbitar…”

The summoned swords, from my point of view, appear particularly weak. They’re immobilizing the Goliath, sure…but-

“Dammit...They aren’t actually hurting it all that much, are they? Shit. Well, no use waiting around.”  
  


I try to take further advantage of the situation by using hyperspeed again. I repeat my earlier attempt at circling the fiend and leaping into the air to slash the ring.

The Genesis Sabre Art draws directly from the same source of energy that powers the barrier. I can’t put too much power into that Art if I want to keep the barrier sturdy, but if I want the swords to hurt more than needles, I have to. And I _can’t_ have both, else it’s right back into the Core Crystal for little old me. 

I wasn’t prepared to risk betting it all and leaving Elysium naked for the sake of a single attack.  
Because in the event that it failed, or wasn’t enough...I wouldn’t be able to summon another barrier. Unacceptable.

“ _Yaaaah!!!_ ” I leap above the orbitar ring, Aegis Sabre primed and ready, flurry of summoned swords still active. I pump as much Ether as I can into the slash as I think I’ll need to cut the ring…

Everythings in place. My strike is as clear as the sky we were both fighting under.  
I just need to hit my mark. I just need to do something right.

I focus with my blade, seeped in hot, emerald Ether.  
I was ready. Ready to _burn_ through that orbitar. 

I brought down my sword with a cleaving motion in mid air.  
And then-  
  


The orbitar.  
It spun again.

It spun extremely fast.  
I heard the mechanical engine of the Goliath howl under the sun as _my plan_ failed and _it’s_ plan was a success after all.  
  


Remember when I said these things were smart?  
I was about to get a faceful of that lesson.

From the ground, the Artifice clutched it’s large sword, yanking it from the dirt.  
What happened next was a blur. I think I saw it spin in place. 

That was it’s plan, to lure me in by thinking my attack was doing anything.  
And then use a phase transfer to reprisal against me faster than I could ever react.  
  


It all happened so fast.  
And just as quickly, everything went dark for a moment.  
  


“ _N-Ngh…Argh…_ ” I hack while crawling blindly on the ground, trying to claw my sight back.

Eventually, my vision slowly returns.  
Blurry. Then hazy. Then disorientated. Then eventually, clear.  
Well, clear enough to realize what was happening. 

I hear the whirr of the spinning orbitar, but I can’t find it.  
On the ground, I look all over. Nothing was there.  
  


“On... _On my feet...Need to get up…”_ I’m not sure how much pain I was in...I definitely took a direct hit, that’s for sure. But I wasn’t about to think on it. _I needed_ _to keep fighting_. 

I eventually began lifting myself up, and while I was doing so, another unpleasant sound assaulted my ears from an unknown place. Footsteps.  
The footsteps of those large, pointy, mechanical feet.   
They were slow and foreboding. 

I wanted nothing more than to find the source.  
But all that was within my accessible field of view were the dropped swords I had summoned previously. 

The ones that failed.  
The ones that were too weak.

“ _Dammit…_ ”

_Come ON._ _  
_ _MOVE._

“N-Ngh... _H-Hmph!”_

And at that, I’d finally done it. I was able to stand again.  
I darted around immediately, ignoring the pain, trying to find the Goliath.

I heard the sound of the whirring orbitar everywhere around me.  
I heard the footsteps everywhere too.  
  


“ _Shit. Shit! Where the hell-”_ I summon the Aegis Sabre back into my hands, charging it with Ether. I turn to the left, then to the right, I turn around. My head darts about in a frenzy.  
  


I look above me.  
And then I hear a blast. 

The blast was nowhere near me.  
_It had to have hit the shell._ _  
  
_

“ **_NO!_ **”

In a panic, I ran toward the sound of the blast. The reverberating sounds around me sound like a beating drum. _That_ **_was_ ** _the barrier._

Everything in me runs ice cold.  
_Not this. Not this. Not this._

 _Not them. Please, not them._ _  
_ _It’s me you want._ **_Me._ **

Not even a full second into my panicked mad dash,  
I see it again.  
A repeat of the event that got me into this mess.

There it was.  
The barrel of the cannon.  
The dark interior filled with red light.  
  


There it was.  
The barrel of the cannon.  
And this time, there’d be no leaping.  
  


There’d be no blocking.  
There’d be no slashing.  
There’d be nothing.  
  


I was right in front of it.  
So close I could kiss it.  
But, of course, there’d be no time for kissing, either.  
  


There’d be no time for anything.  
There’d be no time.  
Because I heard the sound of eternity go off.

Right in front of my face.  
It was the loudest thing I think I’d ever heard.

And when I heard that horrible noise.  
That’s when it happened.  
I got sent _flying_.

I was going at hyperspeed without needing to do a thing.  
  


When I heard that horrible noise.  
That’s when it happened.  
I got hit directly with one of it’s gigantic blasts.

The lights were out for me again.  
So much for all of that.

“ _A-Argh...N-Ngh…” She awoke, panting, looking for_ **_something, anything._ **

_Her vision was a blur at first. Then a haze. Then disorientated. Then, finally, just a bit clear._

_“No no no...No no…” She darted her eyes around the arena._

_She heard footsteps._ _  
_ _She heard the orbitar._ _  
_ _She couldn’t find them._

_“Dammit! Move! I need to move! Shit!”_

_She tried to force herself back up, and failed.  
_ _Once again, the sound of another warning shot reverberated off of the shell._ _  
  
_

_Her eyes kept darting. She tried finding the Goliath,  
_ _but instead she found something else._

_“H-Huh?!....P-Pyra?!”_

_Pyra was unconscious._

_“_ **_Goddammit!_ ** _” Mythra pounded at the ground, on her knees. She hadn’t expected to revert so soon. The blast from earlier hit harder that she must have realized._

_“E-Eh??!”_

_In a flash._ _  
_ _There it was again.  
_ _It was eyeing Pyra._ _  
  
_

_Mythra observed the glowing red bulb cemented in the Goliath’s head.  
_ _It had its sights on the unconscious Pyra._

_“N-No! No you fuckin’ don’t!” Mythra forced her arms and legs to stop tingling, pushing herself up off of her knees to go and be by her sister’s side._

_At Pyra’s foot, Mythra noticed something._ _  
  
_

_“My sword!” Mythra darted to grab the silver blade on the ground, which, to her touch, immediately reverted itself back into the white form of the Aegis Sabre that belonged to her._

_Mythra stood sturdy in front of the collapsed sister, raising the Aegis Sabre toward the approaching nightmare._ _  
  
_

_“No you don’t! Don’t you_ **_dare_ ** _! Don’t lay a finger on her! I’m your opponent!”_

_The Goliath looked to the barking blonde in front of it.  
_ _It would give to her a single response._

 _It coldly raised its massive, dark blade.  
_ _Mythra ran headfirst, ignoring the pain._ _  
_ _And everything else._ _  
_ _  
_ _Ignoring the fact that,_ _  
_ _this was where it would end._

_The war of attrition._

_Mythra prepared to meet the massive black sword headfirst.  
_ _Was it going to shatter her sabre and cleave her in two? Probably.  
_ _Did she care? Not at all. Not when Pyra was in danger._

_But as she prepared to let it all go, the blonde noticed something...happen.  
_ _Under her feet was an aqua blue light._ _  
_ _It grew and it grew, eventually encircling her._ _  
  
_

_It was-_ _  
  
_

_“H-Huh?! The hell??”_

_It was-_ _  
  
_

_“A-A Barrier?!”_

_Just as quickly as the dark blue shell encased her, she took to looking around.  
_ _Was she going crazy?_

 _Her eyes darted everywhere for an answer,_ _  
_ _but she knew one thing._

 _This light around her…_ _  
_ _It wasn’t evil._ _  
  
_

_It wasn’t a nightmare._ _  
_ _It was just like the shell over Elysium._ _  
  
_

_It wanted to protect._ _  
_ _It wanted to protect_ **_her._ **

_“W-Where is...this…C-” Mythra looked above, to the right of her. What she saw was...unreal._

_“No...No **goddamn** _ _way…”_

_An aqua-blue circle marked the empty sky above the broken shell._

_It grew and it grew._ _  
_ _Eventually, symbols formed. Symbols Mythra couldn’t quite understand._ _  
_ _  
_ _The dark Goliath’s blade slammed into her…_ _  
_ _It was a direct hit._ _  
_ _But-_ _  
  
_

_“But I’m...fine?”_

_She looked back toward the circle in the sky.  
_ _The symbols encircled the inner rim._ _  
_ _Eventually, they all found a place._ _  
  
_

_From the center of the large magic circle,  
_ _a larger symbol formed._ _  
_ _Mythra sensed no evil. Still._

 _From the center of the large magic circle,  
_ _a light erupted._ _  
_ _The light formed a laser beam._

_The laser beam blitzed across the ground, burning through the dirt.  
_ _Burning through the rocks. Marking territory between the Goliath and Mythra._ _  
_ _And even burning through...The Goliath’s sword._

_“I...What…” Mythra watched the laser trail in front of her. She heard the blade of the Goliath snap, falling clean off it’s origin, landing right next to her._

_Mythra continued watching the laser trail until it stopped._ _  
_ _When it stopped...She saw it._

 _Everything._ _  
  
_

_“O-...Oh..._ **_Oh my god…_ ** _”_

_The light of the laser grew and grew._ _  
_ _Into a form.  
_ _A form Mythra hadn’t forgotten._

 _The light of the laser shaped itself._ _  
_ _Into a form._ _  
_ _A form that made a promise, and kept it._

 _The blonde fell to her knees. She pounded the ground, sobbing uncontrollably._ _  
  
_

_The aqua light around the form dispersed._ _  
  
_

_The Homs boy trailed behind him in his hand a silver blade. Silver just like his hair._ _  
_ _On his neck, a necklace hung. Red like a beating human heart.  
_ _Shaped just like the core of his sister._

_Mythra, on her knees, looked at the boy in front of her, stunned beyond any words imaginable._

_The boy spoke._ _  
_ _“...Hello again. I know that I took a while, Pneuma.”_ _  
  
_

  
  


_  
  
_

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made up a couple of the Arts I gave Pneuma just because I wanted to showcase her growing as a fighter between XB2 and now. Honestly, this fight scene was the toughest one for me to write...I feel like there are definitely flaws, but I didn't want to put this chapter through the wringer, as I also needed to introduce the concept of the Goliath artifices.  
> Please let me know how you felt reading it and if it was easy to follow and felt impactful.
> 
> P.S: Yes. the name of the enemy pneuma was fighting is "Valkyrie"


	4. Promise Kept

_“U-Urgh…”_ The blonde, clearly embarrassed at her soppy display, finds the strength to rise to her feet again. One of her hands was grabbing her arm, while the arm she was grabbing was wrapped at her waist. Partly to push the pain away, partly to make it look like she wasn’t trembling.

Ontos, ignoring the Goliath he’d just challenged, looks to his sister, holding his complex-looking silver weapon on top of his shoulder.

Mythra, sniffling and choking, makes a shallow attempt to howl at her brother, voice still scratchy and high pitched. _“Jerk! Dummy! Stupid! A “while”?!”_ Mythra clutches her hands over her chest, just underneath her Core Crystal, unable to contain any torrent of emotion she was feeling. " _T_ _-That...That’s what half a century is to you?!”_ Her voice, at this point, was right back to being heavy and soppy along with her tears. Make no mistake, all of it was love, this was just how she expressed it.

Ontos evasively leans back in his current upward posture, attempting to appear more casual and cocky. A complete failure, of course, to hide the hundreds of “I’m sorry’s” all over his expression. He gently grabs at his necklace, playing with it to further try hiding his open feelings. “Ah...Of course. Well, as I believe I told you, sister, The Con-”

“ _Oh, can it, ya son of a bitch, we still got company. Pay attention!”_ Mythra yapped at her sibling semi-playfully, whipping her hands to her hips and hopping in place. She was noticing the Goliath raise it’s firearm behind him.

“Hmm…” Ontos shrugged, outstretching his free arm to crack the joints.

“ _H-Hey. I said focus! What’re you-”_ _  
  
_

Mythra’s eyes widened as she heard the horrible noise.  
The sound of the dark cannon barrel releasing it’s vile spew.  
Ontos was hit directly.

“ _...Huh?_ ”....Or so Mythra thought.

The smoke behind Ontos cleared, and the filmy, ash-covered haze revealed the clear Ether Shield that successfully staved off the Goliath’s blast. Ontos, feeling he had got enough of a look at his sister, finally shifted his attention.

“Ah, yes.” He took his weapon from his shoulder, still inactive. “Pyra, was it? Will you be fine on your own? I have to finish what I’ve started.”

Mythra snorted and crossed her arms, choosing to address her brother’s error later. “S-Sure...You don’t need some help? These aren’t small fries, Ontos.”

“I will not be needing assistance, but thank you for offering.” Ontos began walking up to the Goliath leisurely, none but confidence in each step forward.

Mythra had noticed the attack her brother used from earlier not only nicked it’s sword, but also caused damage to a lot of other places, too. The Goliath itself was...on its knees, peppered with green electricity along its body. And it looked like the orbitar ring was stuck in place, or at least, having trouble getting back to spinning.

Watching her brother step forward so calmly up to the thing she was just viciously in combat against filled Mythra with a sense of both anxiety and confidence. “O-Okay...Ontos…” she softly whispered to herself, choosing to trust the confidence his strut gave her, “N-Now let’s get you off the ground, Sissy.” Mythra looked to the incapacitated Pyra. Her Core Crystal, aside from a light scratch or two, was fine, so she was alive.

Ontos, finally closing the distance with the enemy, decided a good look at it’s body was appropriate. 

“Hmm...Mhm…” The metallic features and physical design “preferences” of the Goliath didn’t hold his attention for very long. He was more concerned with a few choice areas, things Pneuma fifty years ago described in staggering detail: The rash-red, bulging, glowing bulb of an “eye”. Yes, it was just as hideous looking as she had made it sound. Next, his eyes transitioned over to the thing’s thigh - of course, to take a look at the serial number. The exact number on it probably wouldn’t be of much importance, but for the sake of covering bases, he’d commit it to memory anyway. Loose ends could always be tied up, after all. And of course, there it was, right above the serial number and barcode, the word “Αλίκορν”. Let’s save that, too. Finally...there was another thing, it’s chest. Right in the middle, the Goliath’s chest compartment had been opened. Obviously forced open, due to the opening itself emitting smoke and sparks. The “thing” inside of it was flickering expeditiously. A blue photon particle reactor, at least...that’s what the thing lodged in it’s chest _looked_ like. Let’s absolutely keep track of that.

A sound hit The Homs’ ears. “...Oh.” It was the sound of welling, charging Ether. Quite loud, repetitive, and frankly grating. Not ideal if one would like to retain their hearing.

Ontos placed his hand over top of the rim of the reddening dark cannon barrel.

“...You’ll not be needing this.” 

He cast another clear barrier around himself, letting out a coy, delicious smirk.  
He snorted, waiting for _it’s_ plan to fail and for _his_ to be a success.  
In a moment, that would happen.

The sound of eternity went off once again. Point blank.  
And when it did, that’s when it happened.  
The Goliath’s arm cannon had its own expelled, magma-hot Ether sent right back to the deliverer. 

The Goliath’s cannon was jammed to the point of no return.  
The inside of the cannon filled with a blinding red light. As bright as a star.  
The outside of the cannon cracked and gashed all over. The light escaping.

The sound of eternity went off once again. Point blank.  
And when it did, that’s when it happened.  
The Goliath’s arm was blown clean off.

And not only that.  
The resulting explosion had a ripple effect.  
The ripple effect sent another series of blasts all through its body.

One such explosion was so large, it shattered the orbitar ring floating near it’s back completely.  
Red fiberglass raining down all over the immediate area.  
Bouncing and glinting off of The Homs’ shield like glitter.

The metal body of the Goliath staggered and jerked around as if it were having a seizure.  
It turned. Slowly.  
The sound of which was incredibly pained and creaky. Like a rusty pipe.

It turned. Slowly.  
To face it’s maker. Ontos.  
The bulging eye grew bright red.

“Interesting.” Was the only appropriate word Ontos’ could think to use on the pathetic thing. He leaped backwards a short distance. The Goliath attempted to repossess it’s sword, but would not be able, as it’s hand snapped clean off shortly after the attempt.

The Homs raised his complex looking silver weapon.  
It was time to actually use it, he surmised. 

The Homs raised his complex looking silver weapon.  
First above his head. And then to just in front of him.

“O-Ontos? You good?” Mythra, carrying her sister in her arms, looked back at the fight. Eyes narrowing at the thing he had in his hands and was priming. 

Ontos did not audibly answer his sister, instead allowing his following action to do that for her.

The silver weapon was wide, curved at the tip like a scimitar, and absolutely littered in latches and screws. The main body of the weapon was bolted up in key places, screws running all up and down the edges of the faces. The faces themselves on each side were plated the length three, each small plate deliberately the same distance away from each other. The front edge had no standout features. The back edge, however, was lined four with sharp, coned teeth. The chosen accent for these connecting pieces was a jet black.

Mythra, from her position, was able to get a good look at perhaps the most important part of the weapon, and where all the action was: the hilt. Two wide wires ran through the back end of the hilt, kept in place by split sectors on the main body. The most prominent feature of the hilt, though, was the huge circle in the middle, which immediately caught Mythra’s attention. Her eye’s went puppy-wide as a mix of awe and...nostalgia? Filled into her mind. Mythra began thinking long and hard about why the weapon her brother held was bringing back the past.

The Homs raised his complex looking silver weapon.  
The weapon came alive.  
Ontos pointed it at the Goliath, still clinging to its artificial life.

From the hilt, a light in the circle flickered.  
It flickered, and then it burst.  
Sparks flew. The magnetic whirring sound grew louder and louder.

The magnetic whirring sound grew louder.  
The light in the circle was drenched in color. Aqua blue.  
Just like the laser beam.

The wide, main body of the blade split itself in the middle.  
The front compartment detached itself from the back.  
Like a Volff opening its vicious maw.

The aqua blue light in the circle sported a ferocity.  
Sparks flew. Sparks from inside the newly opened maw of the sword.  
Sparks flew. And then the sparks formed.

When the sparks formed.  
That’s when it happened.  
The teeth on the end of the blade set ablaze. A gentle blue flame atop each.

When the sparks formed.  
That’s when it happened.  
The inside of the maw erupted.

The inside of the maw erupted.  
It erupted with it’s own sword.  
A sabre made of pure Ether.

“ _T-That’s it! I-It’s like the thing Malos had! That freaky sword with the symbols and stuff. P-Pyra, are you see-....oh, right.”_

The Homs took another good look inside the rash-red bulb.   
His next plan was clear.

The Homs leapt from the ground.  
He had a target.

He primed his weapon, clutching it in both hands over his head.  
He was aiming for the strange photon reactor core. 

He primed his weapon.  
And in the next moment,

“ **_Monado...Buster!_ ** _”_

He brought the weapon down.  
Right over the disgusting, bulging eye.

And once inside.  
He cleaved through the entire length of the Goliath.

This nightmare? It was over for now.  
Because it was sliced in two.

The nightmare was split in two. Both halves fell over. The bulb went dark.  
So much for that.

* * *

Mythra skipped over to her brother's side, cheeks pink, with a half smile. “Hehe~, welcome back, jackass.” 

Ontos watched as the Goliath disappeared into particles, as if the battle he just participated in was all a dream. Something else for him to make note of. After a moment, he did answer his sister’s heartfelt cry, turning to her with a smile growing on his face as well. “It is a great pleasure for me…”

Mythra’s face softened, her smile deepening.

“Yes, a great pleasure indeed, to see you again, Pyra.”

Mythra’s face was soft no longer. Her eyes narrowed and her eyebrows pointed inwards. Her loving smile was exchanged for, well, as Brighid once called it “bitch-face”. 

“You _can’t_ be serious! C’mon, dude, I was cool the first time, but _again?!_ ” Mythra’s face went from annoyed anger to a more mild “I can’t believe you” flavor of disappointment. 

“A-Ah-”

“Shh! Nope.” Choosing not to hear out whatever Ontos’ excuse was, Mythra took to nipping his confused look in the bud. “Heh. You must have had The Conduit on your mind for so long that you’ve forgotten, so I’ll remind you, _once._ I’m _Mythra._ ” 

Ontos nodded.

Mythra took a look at the sleeping girl in her hands, her eyes lowering in an adoring fashion. Mythra lifted the red Blade up to head level, shifting her upper body a bit closer. The blonde planted a deep, gratuitous kiss on Pyra’s neck, thanking her for all of her support, both in battle and out. Shortly after, she returned to her brother, giving a gentle nudge of the slumbering girl in her arms. “ _This one_ is Pyra, so you had better not get it wrong again.” 

Ontos nodded once again, holstering the silver sword that felled the Goliath onto the back of his pants. He stepped forward a few beats, pulling Mythra and the unconscious Pyra into his arms.

“I understand, Mythra. I do apologize. Additionally...I have missed you a great deal.”

Mythra, feeling his warmth, dropped her head right into the crook of his neck, savoring every bit of their returning bond. “Mmm...O-Ontos...I was…” Mythra began to choke up, just a little. “I was...a bit scared. I didn’t know if you’d come back...It’s n-not that I didn’t trust you, because I did! ...I’ve been hurt so many times, so I just...I don’t know, I-”

“Do not worry. I know exactly what you mean to say. As I started to tell you earlier...The Conduit, it gave me a great deal of trouble. But alas, I _was_ able to find it, as I exactly promised you. I found it, and did what I said that I would do.”

Mythra looked into her brother’s eyes, still the same silver from fifty years ago. “Y-You closed it...The Rift?”

Ontos nodded. “And our worlds are now one.” 

“T-That’s amazing, Ontos. The Conduit, it’s amazing...no, _you’re amazing._ ”

Ontos smirked, enjoying the bit of praise from the brash blonde. “Ah. Was “jackass” meant as a compliment, then?” 

Mythra was more than used to playing volley with one-liners. It surprised her a bit that Ontos had it in him to challenge her, but she took it with a snarky comeback of her own. “You figure it out.”

Eventually the siblings broke from each other. Mythra noticed something...off about Ontos, compared to the boy she talked to half a century prior. “...You grew it out?”

“Hmm?”

“Your hair. It’s much longer. What made you wanna do that?” 

Ontos tilted his head, displaying his uncertainty over what his sister was talking about. He felt about in his scalp and along his back, and...she was right. His hair _was_ longer. He could nearly fill his entire hand with it’s shiny, gentle silver locs. At the sight, even he himself was taken aback.

“I...I don’t think I was paying attention.”

Mythra snickered, and then giggled shortly after. “Awww. You’re hopeless~. You mean in _fifty_ years you didn’t think to check on that? Not even once?”

“No.”

Mythra's eyes widened out of shock at the quickness of his answer. “S-So... _all_ you thought about was The Conduit. All those years, that was the _only_ thing on your mind?”  
  


“Yes. I did tell you I would work tirelessly to keep my promise.”

Mythra giggled, shaking her head. _Crazy runs in the family, this should be no surprise._ “Jeez...Somehow, that’s just like you.”

“It is?” 

“Yeah. Big time. But...ya know-”

Ontos gave her another curious look.

Mythra stepped closer to her brother, leaning in to peck a quick kiss atop his cheek. “I definitely can’t be mad at you now. You really meant what you said...everything.”

Ontos smirked a bit. “Heh. That, I did.”

Mythra moved her arm up Pyra’s back, resting her neck inside of it, this was so she had access to Pyra’s head with her hand. Mythra ruffled about in her sister’s hair for a moment, gently scratching in her scalp, stroking her crimson locs, and twirling one of her bangs through her fingers, before shifting the red Blade back into the previous cradle position. She whispered to her sister. “You did amazing back there. I’m so sorry, Pyra…”

The blonde looked back in the direction of the Homs, who was now taking a look at the surroundings. Both the desolate Center, and the shell that Pneuma told him of half a century ago. All of what he could see of Elysium, he took in. It was just as Pneuma described to him. Not a happy place at all.

“D-Don’t...Don’t say sorry.” 

“E-Eh?!”

Pyra coughed once or twice, looking her sister deep in the eyes. Her eyes were low, her voice was extremely soft, and it was clear she was going back to sleep before long. “It’s okay Mythra...You’re so strong. So it’s okay. And...I think...I think something good happened, didn’t it? I...I can feel it.” The red blade placed her hand on her sister’s cheek, trying to rub it.

Mythra, seeing Pyra’s loving eyes close once more, couldn’t help but give her a deep, loving smile back. The blonde reassured her red sibling. “Y-Yes...Yeah, it did. A good thing definitely has happened, Sis.” 

Pyra went to sleep again.  
But this time,  
her breathing was steady.

Mythra set her eyes back to the Homs.  
Long (well, long _now_ ) silver hair. Deep violet jacket. Gentle, yet focused silver eyes.  
The eyes of a warrior.

The eyes that _could_ love.  
The eyes that _did_ love.  
Because they _chose to_ love.

The promise was kept.

Mythra looked at the cracked upper shell, and for once,  
the sunlight actually felt warm on her skin.

  
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those that have trouble with descriptions, Ontos' weapon is just like the Monado REX, i just made it silver and black.  
> it has a name, i'll say what that is in another chapter


	5. Sieged Elysium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ontos explores some of Elysium

And there I was.  
Looking up again at the shell.  
Up again at the emerald tint that diluted the warmth of the sun.

The shell that cast the sad film over the sky.  
My shell. My hope. My sky.  
Me.

But…

“Oh, heya. I’m...guessing you didn’t sleep either, did you?”

Things were different now.  
At least a little.  
Though I wanted to believe it was a lot.

“Not a wink. Though it likely will not pose an issue if Alicorn attacks today.”

_You’re_ here now.  
You kept your promise to me.  
And even though a lot hasn’t changed…  
  


“Aww, brother you should try to! What’s been keeping you awake?”

The shell that cast the sad film over the sky.  
My shell. My hope. My sky.  
It felt...a little stronger.

“Elysium.”

I tilt my head, wondering if he means anything more by that, which, this was Ontos, no doubt he did. “...Elysium? What about it?”  
  


Ontos brushed some of his hair out of his eye. He definitely didn’t look sleepy at all...but there _was_ an ache somewhere on his expression. Honestly, I kinda looked at him and started getting sick of whatever it was that he was feeling the moment I noticed it. I stepped forward enough to be right near his face, and right on time, it seemed, cuz his hair fell right back over his eyes. Promptly, I brushed it away myself, giving him the warmest stare I could.  
  


“Ontos, what’s the matter? Is everything alright?”

  
He shook his head. I couldn’t swipe the sadness off of my _or_ his face that appeared when he did that. “Well...I wouldn’t say that anything is _wrong._ ”

You’re always like this.  
You’re so cryptic...it’s kinda nonsensical at points.  
Like, _jeez_ , I’m your frickin’ _sister._ You can say what you mean.

And…  
You know how personal this is for me.  
You know how much my...well, _everything_ rides on the safety of Elysium.

Please don’t toy with my emotions, not now. “What? What kind of answer...is that?” I...really didn’t mean to snap, it just kind of happened. “L-Look, I’m doing the best I can. _You know it hasn’t been easy for me, at all._ If you’ve got something to say, say it. Spit it out. And you better pick your words carefully because-”  
  


“Pneuma…”

I’m sorry...I didn’t sleep either. “D-Don’t _“Pneuma”_ me. Don’t say cryptic stuff about how my home is bothering you if you aren’t going to tell me what it is. How could you? E-Elysium...It’s-”  
  
“I said that nothing was wrong. I meant that. I only...I only wanted to ask you to show me around.” 

Oh.  
Ontos...come on…  
N-No. I’m just overthinking everything today.

It’s early morning…  
There were three attacks yesterday, so we were stuck here.  
I couldn’t even show you my house, or cook you anything…

I really wanted to…  
But we just ended up having to fight…  
I-I’m sorry.

I begin rubbing my arm. “Oh… M-My bad, I-I just sorta don’t have a filter this early…”

Ontos places a hand on my back. He can feel me beginning to shake a little. “No, no. I should have come forward about this from the beginning. I’ve learned too much from you about openly speaking one's feelings. I will give no excuse.”

Dammit...I don’t want you to act like we had an argument. I just snapped a little.

I shake my head, choosing to cut this topic for the sake of just moving on. “O-Okay. You...want to see Elysium?”

“Yes. I wish to know as much about your home as possible. Could you take me to see the places you still protect?”

My eyes widen, a little happy that he’d ask...but they narrow just as quickly as my head lowers. “I-I’m sorry, Ontos...I can’t do that.”  
  
Ontos looks concerned at first, but I get the sense he immediately knew where I’d take things. “Ah...Alicorn.”  
  
“Y-Yep...They could come at any time. I-I don’t like leaving here...of course, I hate _staying_ here even more, but...this is just...” I let go of a massive sigh, “h-how it has to be.”

Ontos nods, a pained formation on his lips. “I understand. Will you permit me to see for myself? I will return here post-haste if a strike occurs.”

I wave a playful, dismissive hand near my face, trying to look like I wasn’t feeling kind of terrible. “O-Oh. Don’t even worry about that. You can go. I don’t mind, really! I’m glad that you care about my home. I can handle myself if they come, so don’t worry too much about needing to rescue me or anything.”

“I refuse to let you fight alone. I have returned to help you, so I’ll come if need be.”

Okay...I couldn’t _not_ give him a little smile at that. I sway a bit from side to side. “Okay, okay, brother in shining armor. But really, go and see the places if you want. Here, I’ll even tell you where all the people are…”

* * *

\- _Gormott -_

The first thing he made note of was the grassy plain. It was war torn, and seemed like it was taking a while for nature to truly reclaim it. A lot of the field of lush green grass was bruised along equally stretched lengths of dry, grey meanders of leaves. His feet stepped into one such hollowed out patch. It didn’t crunch, ruffle, or make any sort of sound to the touch of his white boots. The leaves just became ash. _Silently._ As if they never existed at all, and didn’t want to.

Through each additional winding yard of depressing disparity, Ontos noticed more and more statements of nature, with each one juxtaposing itself differently. Huge trees were finding their peers as nothing more than darkened stumps, jagged and chippy. The animals ate berries from strong shrubs and bushes, and then promptly began to drink from the Ether contaminated lake a short distance away. 

They did not die, so much of the harmful levels of poisonous Ether had to have faded from the reservoirs over the years, Ontos thought. 

But, he thought of something else as well. He couldn’t shake the voice of her, the voice of Pneuma. The voice of love.  
The animals, yes, they _were_ alive. But, he questioned if they were living, as opposed to surviving, irrespective of the predicament.

Pneuma dotted his way with a few locations. There were two towns in Gormott, with its capital, Torigoth, right in the middle of them both, though miles out. He would visit the eastern town, sure enough with himself that whatever that town found itself occupied culture-wise, it’d surely be much the same for the town in west Gormott.

A few feet past the archway was a sign. There was in large the name, Remsbreu. A brief description followed. Ontos was sure he had read it, but the information was nothing noteworthy. No need to hold onto it. His eyes didn’t leave the sign immediately, as before they would, he’d caught a glimpse of something that chimed him. Not literally. It was…

“...Pneuma.”

Harmony.

The item rested atop the sign was an acrylic plate. Encased in the plate, an image. The image, a woman. _No...something more_ . Ontos only needed a single look to see in plain day what was depicted. His sister’s form and grace was captured exceptionally. But...there was something _more._ The acrylic was not a mere likeness of Elysium’s protector tamed into the confines of it’s translucent seal. It was _more._ In the acrylic, she was more than Pneuma. She was an idea. She was a treasure. She was immortalized. Redundantly so (because she was, herself, immortal). She had something. Something _else._ The living, breathing Pneuma bore the burden of the safety of the home she had fought arduously for, alongside the love of her life, and the love of her friends. _This_ Pneuma bore a different burden. The still, unmoving Pneuma, she bore the burden of _being loved_ by the home her moving counterpart fights arduously for _now._ She was a symbol, posed with hand on heart, as if in prayer. Sprouting from her back was a single wing, strong and white. She was like a seraph. Though, that word was less fluid-sounding than the Elysians own _chosen_ word for the woman symbolized in the acrylic. So let’s use the other one. Pneuma...was an _angel._

And to the people on Elysium, the people surviving, irrespective of the circumstances, that’s what Ontos’ sister had to be. She bore the burden of being “ _Angel.”_

War, and death, and tears, and fury. These were like ethereal fiends. Fiends the acrylic plate kept away. Remsbreu was peaceful. Peaceful _enough,_ Ontos corrected with himself. The quaint life of the small town seemed to live, or maybe it was better to say _survive_ amongst one another.

Irrespective of the war.  
The death.  
The tears.  
The fury.

Remsbreuans...were making a way. They were feeding livestock, raising children, stitching clothing, running small shops, mingling, helping their neighbors, cooking, and even laughing.

Angel wanted the fiends to be near none of that. Angel protected her small town. Angel allowed them to laugh. To love. To cook. And…

Ontos corrected himself again. Maybe they _were_ living.

  
  


Torigoth treated her with a bit more pomp. Here, the Angel in the acrylic, she was a monument, immortalized, redundantly so, in the middle of the main road. Angel was a guide here. She was someone the Torigoth citizens, should they ever lose their way in the winding roads of stone, were advised to find their way back to. Torigoth, being much bigger than its Gormotti counterparts, had meant that Ontos would observe much more “urban” behavior.

Ontos’ mind rarely lacked for better words.  
But this place...called for only one.  
Lonely.

There weren’t many laughs. No livestock. Not much mingling. The small shops were instead emporiums. People were in and out of the different sections like mice, hiding from one another. The children in the playgrounds, they smiled, and slid down the slides. Swung on the swings. They got bored. They didn’t talk for long. They didn’t laugh. They left. 

Torigoth...was cold. Maybe Ontos imagined it.   
Cold? Here? After the dense heat of the jungle and plains?

Torigoth was cold. Ontos couldn’t shake it.  
But _why?_

There were surely pockets of warmth in the street lamps.   
But upon further inspection...what was bothering Ontos wasn’t the temperature.

Ontos thought back to Remsbreu.  
They may not have been happy, but they were living. Not _just_ surviving.

Angel’s acrylic had blessed them.  
Her love let them make a way. Her love let them hope.

But Angel was here too. Just like in Remsbreu.  
Remsbreu wasn’t cold. Why was Torigoth cold?

Why did it _feel_ cold?  
That’s right...he remembered. _Feeling._

If he would go by _feeling,_ it might make sense.  
And, just as he concluded earlier. Torigoth felt lonely.

Angel’s love...it was here. Surely.  
But were they rejecting it here? Did they take it for granted?

They seemed distant from one another. The people of Torigoth did not seem to have hope.  
Angel, she still protected Torigoth from the fiends…

Angel still gave them her love.  
Her hope.

Indiscriminately. Angel allowed them to laugh. To cook. To mingle.  
They did not seem interested.

Ontos trailed back around to the cap of the main road, thinking to himself again.  
Maybe...Angel, and her love, wasn’t appreciated as much here.

Ontos could not say with confidence whether or not Torigoth was living.  
Quite possibly, Torigoth had simply been surviving.

  
  


\- _Mor Ardain -_

“I...I don’t have s-so many good memories of this place, but you should still go and see it.”

Those were the words he remembered before setting out. The words of his sister.

Not exactly a warning, but a clue.

Ontos found himself adrift in a sea of long, wide roads.  
A sea of vehicles. Of traffic lights.  
A sea of engines and horns.

Ontos found himself adrift in a sea of tall buildings.  
A sea of banks and malls.  
A sea of hospitals and restaurants. 

Ontos found himself adrift in a sea of people.  
Nopon. Children. Grownups. Families. Friends.  
A sea of public, and _public security._

Mor Ardain, Ontos has assumed based on his sister’s recount to him from half a century ago, had never dropped it’s high state of alert that had been put in place since the very first assault from the monsters that had ruined her life.

But, nowhere in this sea of infrastructure was _her.  
_ Ontos had thought, _where was Angel?  
_ Torigoth may not have had faith in her presence, but her presence was there nonetheless.

Did Mor Ardain think even _less_ of Angel? Of her love, and hope?

Ontos moved through each street, across each stretch of road.  
Each intersection.  
Each cluster of skyscrapers and shopping centers.

To find it.  
To find _her._  
To find Angel.

It was likely more than half the ways trek through the cityscape that Ontos noticed he’d probably reached the center. The junction between all of the main sectors of Mor Ardain. 

Still no Angel.  
Still no love.  
Or hope.

Until...there was.  
There _she_ was.  
There was Angel, as another monument. This time she was silver.

She was staged, her presence massive, next to another, much bigger, though equally as massive presence. 

“This must be it.”

The silver monument and the tall skyscraper felt as if they went hand in hand.  
And for good reason.  
This was sure enough The Space Building. Home of The Space Association.

This was where Angel’s love became a dream.  
This was where Angel’s hope became a mission.  
This was where all the love, the hope, the dream, and the mission, were _tested._

This was where Angel failed.  
This was where Angel would be sent into the stars...to meet her fiends.  
To meet her war. Her death. Her tears. Her _fury._

But Angel was alive.  
Ontos knew it.  
Elysium knew it.

Angel was alive.  
Angel still had love.  
Angel still had hope.

Angel…  
Still held onto a _dream.  
_ Angel still considered it her _mission_ to see it through.

  
  


Ontos had withdrawn from center-city through the opposite exit channel.  
There was still something Mor Ardain had left for him.  
The other piece of the clue.

“This should be… Sector 4.” Ontos sighed heavily. Mor Ardain never quite broke from using military-style codification to categorize different major areas of the entity itself. Each part of the city was a “sector”, of which there were in total five, numbered 0-4. Center-city was Sector-0, and then you went down the list from there. Each Sector also had an initial for each section within. BD for “Business district”, GD for “General district”, FD for “Facility District, and finally, RD for “Residential District.” 

The Space Association, being the post-Alrest hallmark of Mor Ardain as a whole, made it apt that Sector-0’s unique initial be SD, “Space District.” 

  
  


Upon arrival in Sector 4, Ontos had checked the sky above him.  
He had wanted to see if the emerald tint was darkening.  
And aside from his promise, Ontos had once again thought back to _feeling._

Sector 4 had given Ontos _feeling.  
_ A feeling of...chill.   
Of tragedy.

Pneuma, fifty years ago, had described this Sector closely, in a detail such that was so vivid and clear it was frightening.   
Sector 4 was the other piece of the clue.  
Angel’s horror.

Ontos weaved his way through Sector 4-GD, knowing where his exact destination was.  
And the closer he got, the more desperately he wanted to turn back.  
The closer he got, the more he remembered her trembling in his arms, struggling to come to her senses.

But he _had_ to get closer.  
He wanted to understand Pneuma. He wanted to help her with her broken mind.  
He wanted to help her keep her hope. Her love.

He had felt,  
that in order to make that happen  
he needed to see the pieces of her.

The pieces of his sister scattered about across her home here.  
The pieces that were her strength of mind.  
 _And_ the pieces that broke from her heart, during the fateful day.

He heard her voice again, while staring down the quiet, parallel lines of houses, watching some children play with dogs in the grass, their parents supervising closely. The rest of the block Ontos stared down was pretty empty, with maybe four or five additional people dotted about the stretch.

Her voice felt louder, and _closer_ even, as if she were right behind him… “So, you actually came here.”...As if she spoke of his arrival to Sector 4-RD in her silky, idiosyncratic, yet melancholic tone of voice, that was unique only to her. 

Ontos thought to himself how clear the connection felt here.  
How close his sister wanted to be with him…  
How the memory of the tragedy of Sector 4-RD made her feel…

“...right here! O-Ontos. Hey! I’m right here!”

... _right there._

Pneuma finally stepped into his field of view. Living, breathing, moving.  
Though...this is the place she nearly lost everything.  
She was standing next to him, though, looking off to the side, seemingly unable to fully acknowledge where she was _now_ compared to then.

Ontos, remembering who he spoke to half a century ago, immediately felt a need to protect her. “P-Pneuma? You’ve left The Center? Why would you feel the need to come to this place again?”

His sister turned to him with a bleak smile. It was warm, loving, yet laced with all kinds of sadness and anguish. “Oh...I guess I haven’t told you. I’ve been coming back here for years...I-I can’t say I enjoy it, but ignoring all of it feels…” she inhaled, and then exhaled heavily, “...well, just doesn’t feel right. I know what I did to this place...I don’t know why I want to keep remembering...But...I-I can’t stop.”

The hair over Ontos’ eyes obscured from his emerald-haired relative the true pain of his eyes. He had known exactly what she meant. He had felt the pain of those lives he’d taken under Zanza thousands of folds over. He felt he could not let go.

But, seeing another suffering just like him, especially his previously _forcibly_ estranged sister, was something that was quite difficult to handle. “...This cannot be healthy for you, sister.”

“...I know. I know. H-Honestly, it’s not all bad sometimes...I come back here, and the kids, they know me...well, they know me when I'm the red one. I can play with them sometimes, pet the animals, and of course everyone else here knows me from basically all of Elysium championing me as some sort’ve “Angel.” ...I think it’s weird, Ontos.”

“What is?”  
  


“I-I mean...who’s “Angel?” Me?”

Ontos brushed some hair from his eyes, to see her fully. “It could be no-one else.”

“Huh...But I hate it.”

Ontos tilts his head, not quite able to see the problem.  
Wasn’t Angel hope? Love? Why was she talking about hate?

“...This place. This place tells me I _can’t_ be “Angel.” This place tells me I’m weak. That I messed up...That I can’t save anybody. This place is where I was...It’s where Alicorn _hurt me...the most. I can’t possibly be Angel...not when I was hurt so badly, making me push all of that pain onto the ones that didn’t deserve it…They didn’t even get to see what was happening before-...”_

Just as though he were back himself, the screams of the Bionis rang loudly again.  
The calls of Zanza.  
The pleas of the living.  
The living that did not have the right to their lives.

  
The war. Countless wars.  
The death.  
The tears.  
The fury.

“Ontos...I fight because… I don’t _want_ them to win. They _can’t_ win...They _can’t_ keep hurting me. When they hurt Elysium...that’s when it hurts me. I-I’m angry. _Furious._ Furious that this had to happen…”

“...”

“...That’s why I think I come back. It hurts like hell...but it makes me remember that I’m weak. That I don’t deserve “Angel.”

“I…” For Ontos, it was words he had heard before...though he was never given a title like “Angel.”, he was treated as a Homs. He was treated as an equal with the life of the Bionis. The life that raised livestock. The life that mingled. The life that stitched clothing. The life that ran small stores. The life that helped neighbors. The life that laughed. _Lived, as opposed to surviving._ He was given hope as a Homs...hope that Zanza would force him to strip away.

“...understand how you feel, my sister. I often find myself closing my eyes, and my mind, in those moments...it may delineate to me the atrocities I’ve committed. Sometimes I do wonder what the purpose behind me ever being trusted with the administration of the universe _was._ I cannot say I always agreed with whatever was placed upon me to be vested all of this responsibility.”

He felt the rubbing on his hand. Even in the gloves she continuously wore, her warmth persisted. “...Do you try, though? Do you keep trying, even if it’s so painful?”

_This_ answer, for Ontos, was automatic. “Absolutely. I cannot erase my past. But I promised you…” _and himself,_ “...that I’d fix the future, like any well founded administrator should aspire to.”

The sadness laced in Angel’s smile from earlier was now beginning to clear, just a little. 

Ontos... had a lot more promise _to_ keep, after all. But he was more than prepared. He knew what had to be done. He knew why the both of them fought the endless battles, within and outside of themselves.

“...Okay. Then, brother, _I_ think _I_ can also keep trying.”

  
  


  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woop. title drop chapter!  
> had a bit of trouble with this one honestly.
> 
> world building is a bit tough for me still, so I wanted to get the main idea across while also making an emotional impact.  
> The areas we see here aren't all that's left of Elysium, just what I wanted to fit in here
> 
> i've had to take a bit of an impromptu break from writing, so i hope there wasnt too much rust haha


	6. Catching Up With You

“It’s on me today, Pyra. You and the other girlie hardly ever come home to Fonsett, yet you do so much for us anyway. I couldn’t make you pay for-”

Much to the contrary of Pyra’s usual uplift, yet still very much in line with her overall demeanor, was the snap of both of her hands to her hips. Passionate, and stern. A sternness she’d learned from Mythra, but tamed and molded to flair uniquely tor her. She was flame. Flame was sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle. The red blade forcefully shook her head, not about to be given the same excuse from her favorite grocer an additional time. “Oh _please_ , Chloe! Not again! I-I may be “Angel” or whatnot, but I’m still _your customer_ for today. Mythra and I can’t come home so much because we have a job to do. It’s not just for our health, you know. S-So whenever we _can_ come back to Fonsett...we like to be able to believe we can live amongst all of you, just like everyone else _has_ to. So no free food! I can pay. I always can. Please?”

  
  
Pyra had asked this of Mythra long ago.  
Whenever they were interacting with Fonsett City for extended periods of time, they’d separate from their “true” form. Originally, there wasn’t much reason aside from them wanting to see each other as two people. Two “selves”. Two _sisters_ , actually.  
But over the years, being unmerged in Fonsett allowed them to feel...differently.

Differently about the role they played in all of this.  
The hardship. The fighting.  
To the sister Blades, merging meant they had to be protectors.

They had to think about Alicorn.  
They had to be “Angel.”  
They had to see the citizens of Fonsett as _responsibility._

And, while, of course.  
Being split from each other never _erased_ those very real truths.  
But sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

Pyra knew it.  
Mythra knew it too.  
 _They needed bliss. Especially during this. No matter how short. No matter how ignorant._

If they were going to have to think about Alicorn, they needed bliss.  
If they were going to have to be Angel, they needed bliss.  
If they were going to have to see the people surviving in Elysium as responsibility, they needed bliss.

Maybe it was wrong.  
Maybe they didn’t deserve it.  
Maybe they were taking it all for granted.

But that doesn’t change,  
in fact, that _couldn’t_ change the fact that,  
Pyra, and her beloved sister, _needed_ _bliss_.

Bliss, to them,  
it meant being Fonsettians.  
Just for a little while. Whenever Azurda would tell them it was okay to come back.  
  


“A-Alright, honey. You win. I’ll let ya pay, sweetheart. I hate makin’ either of you two treasures peppered, even if the blonde one can get snappy with me sometimes…heh~…”  
  
Pyra’s cheeks were perky, with satisfaction beaming through her smile. “Aww, you know she doesn’t mean it~. Mythra loves people! She just...shows it in a funny way sometimes. B-But that’s a story for another day. I’ve gotta run after I pay you...There’s someone over tonight that my sister and I _need_ to talk to. This may be our only chance for a while.” 

“I getcha, I getcha. Enjoy the resta your day, Pyra. Save some of your cookin for me, if you can, too.”

“You know I always try to make _plenty~._ ” 

  
  


_\- Pyra and Mythra’s house -_

  
  


Ontos stood at the dresser near the front door. The locs of his silver hair that draped over his shoulders were glossened by the warm amber light of the Ether lamp right next to the anniversary photo. The saccharine, flambant glow glistened along his untidy, yet tender fall, sweetening the silver like honey. As the both of them waited for the crimson sibling to come home, Ontos watched as Mythra tidied up the place, absolutely captivated. Family that _truly_ cared for him, it was still a strange thing. The warm, golden glow of his sister gleamed dimly under the Ether lamp of the shelves she lightly dusted. Her presence was magnificent. She was valued, because she’d valued him. Nobody was using each other. Nobody was playing god. Nobody was _crying out for help while strangling their emotions._ Ontos, through the gates of his messy, half-a-century's unkempt bangs, saw Mythra, not as anything other than love. Sure, she was the brash one, decadent in pronounce, with the raspy voice when she got loud. As opposed to Pyra’s tempered cadence, and sweetness of inflection, with a high volume that was tamed by passion, whenever she’d get like that. But, Ontos considered everything about how they acted as secondary to how they meant for him. And what they meant, was well. So Ontos, in his mind, had nothing to worry about.

“Urgh! Hey! Yoo-hoo!” Mythra waved an impatient hand over the gated view of Ontos’ sight.  
  


“...?”  
  


Mythra, seeming to herself like she had to do this almost every time she’d talked to Ontos, swiped his messy bangs out of his eyes, bringing herself into his full view. Ontos didn’t mind the intrusion. He never minded.

“Hey, I’m talkin to you, bucko. How long are ya gonna just stand there acting all quiet? This is _our_ house, ya know, so you have to get used to it.”

“Our?” Ontos, as his sister’s hand slipped away from his forehead, caught his falling bangs, holding them in her place.

“Heh. What do you think I mean? You can’t live on the street, bro.” Mythra leaned forward slightly, putting her head level below her brother’s chin, she stuck a stern finger up at him, letting him know she was serious. “And you _can’t_ wander the Earth, either. It’s...dangerous. Dangerous to be anywhere _other_ than Elysium right now…” 

Ontos loosened his posture a bit, realizing that he might not have been appearing as gentle as he’d been feeling. “I...I see. If what you mean to say is that you would like me to live with you here, I accept, without question.” 

Mythra stood up with a quick exhale from her nose, placing her hands to her hips. “Not what I _mean_ to say, it’s what I’m _saying._ I know it’s not much, and we don’t really get to come back a lot, either...A-And I know Elysium is dangerous too, I-I just...You gotta have somewhere to sleep. _A-And you_ **_need_ ** _to sleep, too! Especially tonight! You’ve been back for nearly a month. I ain’t seen you sleep a wink! That’s bad! I’m no better...but it’s still not good. So we both have to sleep.”_ Ontos felt a tingle up his arm. Mythra had grabbed his hand with both of her hands. “ _B-But also, you’re a mess!”_ Mythra began pulling Ontos away from the dresser, trying to get past the coffee table to go see the hanging mirror. “ _You’re gonna get a good look at yourself, I mean it. And I’m gonna clean your clothes, they smell. Pyra can fix your hair, I-I’m not really good with that...B-By the way-”_

Slowly closing the front door behind herself, the red blade creeps onto the stage of the scolding session, stopping her sister in her tracks. “U-Uh...Mythra?”

Shocked out of her antics, the blondie whips her head over to the redhead, snapped in place like a deer in headlights.

Pyra hangs her head slightly, shaking it, and then raises it back up to meet Mythra’s eyes. She sighs playfully. “Oh dear. Mythra, come on now. Ontos - he just got here! I know you want to get him situated, and yeah, I heard everything...he may be a little messy right now, but still, you _can’t_ be going so rough on him…” Pyra, as she spoke, dotted her steps over toward the two siblings. She placed a hand on Ontos’ shoulder, leaning her head right over top of it, with her shopping bag in her other hand. “We’ve definitely learned from Rex that you have to be gentle with boys, haven’t we? Ontos may be quiet a lot, but I’m sure even he gets overwhelmed.” 

The Homs boy did nothing except sigh, letting out a stealthy chuckle, the expression behind which wouldn’t be known to Pyra, as it was obscured by the length of his hair. 

Mythra sighed as well, releasing Ontos from her grip, hiding both of her hands behind her back guiltily. She gave a cheeked expression to her sister, almost like a cat would. “H-Heh...Guess my old habits die hard…But you see what I mean though, sis. Yea?”

Pyra nodded. “Mhm. I do. But he has to relax, okay? He can tidy up while I make dinner, but for now, _I’m_ saying I want him to sit down. So get him on that couch. It’s been _fifty_ years, sis. I think Ontos has a lot he wants to talk about.” 

Pyra parts from her lean on Ontos, taking a short whiff on her way.  
 _They_ **_do_ ** _smell..._ She thought to herself.  
But that would have to come later, still.

Mythra gave a nod toward her sister while Pyra herself lined sights with her next objective: the kitchen.   
Ontos and the blonde sister both watched the crimson sister make off from their presence in short steps.   
After seeing her leave, Mythra, still with her hands at her back, gave Ontos an awkward stare.

Had she been too forceful? Ah well, a worry for another time. “S-So...ya gonna sit down?”

Ontos swiped up his bangs again. “Oh. Yes, I think that I will.”

Despite saying that, Mythra was the first to make it to the couch. She softly patted at the cushion right beside hers. Ontos first, had to remove a cumbersome set: the holster belt and the weapon sheathed inside of it. He shifted about, pulling and loosening at a few harnesses and straps, before the belt went free. He grabbed at the silver blade in the holster by its hilt, pulling around in front of him before setting it down, letting it lean against the coffee table. The belt and blade were kept together, as he had no need of separating them.

Mythra had watched him bring the weapon around, taking another close gander at the sword itself. She took mental note of it, before bringing her attention back to what she was really concerned with. “So, um...Hi.” 

Ontos met with her eyes. “Hello, Mythra.” 

Ontos’ bangs had fallen back over his eyes during his ruffling about his pants. He went to go and push them back up over his head again, but Mythra spoke ahead of his hand. 

“Hey, and oh, don’t worry about all that, Ontos. I know you can see me. We can fix your hair later. I wanna talk.” 

“Very well. What shall we discuss?”

Mythra swung a leg up onto the cushion, turning her body toward her brother to give him full attention. “I dunno. Anything, really. Ontos - _it’s been fifty years_ since we’ve seen each other. Busy ones for you, too, I bet.” 

Ontos nods. “They have. I’ve spent the longer period of them, as you know, searching for The Conduit. The shorter part of my journey was spent finding my way here. Finding Elysium alone took me around two years.” 

“W-Wait, what?! If it’s been fifty years...and you only spent _two_ …” Mythra let her voice trail off as she did the easy math in her head, “...It took you **_fourty eight_ ** _years to find The Conduit?!”_

Ontos lets out a single chuckle, brushing some of his hair around over his shoulder. “Heh. It was no small task at all, sister.”

“That’s insane! I’m kind of speechless.”

“Really? I did make you a promise, Mythra. I’d hope you would keep faith enough in my keeping it.”

The blonde swipes at her hair gently while rocking her head, letting her eyes roll along with the simultaneous motions. “No no...It’s not that. Well, maybe it is, I dunno. It’s been hard keeping my head on straight...So I’m just...I’m just happy to see you again.” 

“Of course. I am as well.” 

“But don’t think that means you’re off the hook. You got explainin’ to do, brother. As you probably know by now, we don’t get to see this place a lot...So we’ve got to talk about this _now._ ”

Ontos nods, allowing Mythra to continue speaking.  
  


“I want to know what happened during the last half a century with you. And I _need_ to know...about that other thing.” 

Ontos tilts his head. “ _Other_ thing?”

Mythra presses the tips of her two index fingers together. “Well, you know...When you touched it.”

Ontos’ expression brightens with realization immediately, unsure himself, if the fact that he had to _remember_ the event Mythra was implying was going to be good for his score. “Ah...That.”

“Yeah. Of _course_ I mean that! You definitely didn’t forget when you touched my Core Crystal, did you? There _is_ a right answer, just so you know.” 

With another single chuckle, the Homs spoke. “Not at all, my sister. I’ve actually been expecting you to bring it up over the past few weeks. It came as a surprise to me that you chose to wait.”

“Eh. When we’re out fighting...It’s all I can think about. I wanted to bring it up, too, but Alicorn just doesn’t leave my mind when we’re out there. I think I just forgot.”

“Tea, anybody?” Pyra struts back into the living room, setting a tray at the coffee table. The warm mist rising up out of the two tea cups, as well as Pyra’s smile while serving it, calmed the bit of tension that was still in the air between the siblings.

“Just two?” Ontos inquired.

Mythra picked up her mug almost immediately, “Thanks, sis. My throat was feeling a little dry.”

Pyra smiled at Mythra, turning next to answer Ontos. “Yuh-huh. None for me this time, because I have to start cooking. So I won’t be here. But, don’t worry about whatever you have to say. You can tell Mythra all of it.” Pyra turns back toward the kitchen, waving her way out. “Look forward to dinner~.”

Ontos grabs at his mug, silently thanking Pyra. He turns his head toward Mythra, tilting it in curiosity. “I don’t mind repeating myself to her later, I suppose.” 

“Oh! That? Don’t even worry about telling her.” Mythra interrupts her reassurance with a sip from her mug. “You see, Pyra and I, we share the same memories.”  
  


“Oh?”

“Yep. Waaay back before you met us, before even Elysium was here, we were actually _one_ Blade. And when we were like that, everything one of us experienced, the other did as well.” 

Ontos sets his mug down after sipping from it. “I...still don’t follow. I do know about the Blades, but can you both not choose to exist as one already?”

“Yea. That’s what I mean. Before, we couldn’t _separate_ , so having the same memories was natural for us. Now, we still do, but we just have to merge back together. When we do, Pyra’s gonna learn everything we talked about.”

“I see. Then I believe I can move ahead with this…-”

Mythra, in the middle of another sip, takes her mug from her lips a bit sooner than she’d wanted to. “W-Waitwaitwait. We can get to that...but-”  
  
“...?”  
  


Mythra points to Ontos’ blade, taking in all of it’s features again. “That thing! I wanna know what that weapon is first, cuz I’m pretty sure I’ve seen something like it.” 

Ontos, feeling the warmth of his sister’s curiosity, happily removed his silver blade from its holst, letting the belt fall onto the floor. He placed the weapon over his lap, letting the Ether lamps glisten light over the silver body and black accents. 

“This...I do have quite a history with this.” 

“Yea? Let’s hear it.”

Ontos inhales deeply, recounting his memory with not only _this_ sword, but the swords it was inspired by, and the people it reminded him of. “Mythra, do you remember when I told you about Shulk?”

“Uh-huh. I remember everything we talked about fifty years ago. Shulk was your friend, right?”

“Yes. I thought about the lesson you gave to me about cherishing the people that matter most to you. I thought about it for a long while after we parted ways...I also knew that on my journey to seek The Conduit, the thing that started all of this madness, I would need some protection. This creation is the result. It is some of my strength, Mythra, and a tribute to my great friend from millenia ago.”

Mythra, parting ways with her mug again, gave her brother solemn puppy eyes. “O-Oh. That’s...kinda sweet. I’m glad you cared about my words so much. And it’s good that you allowed yourself to not forget about Shulk by keeping the memory of him close. I’m proud of you, Ontos.”

“Heh.” Ontos left his eyes on the silver sword.

“Did ya name it? I-I don’t really name my weapons or anything, but it’s not like I think that stuff is weird” 

Ontos exhales, lifting the weapon up to his chest level. The glow of the Ether lamp over the metallic face almost made the thing itself look amber. “ _This_ sword is a...recreation, you could say. It is a recreation of Shulk’s _own_ recreation of _our_ father’s sword.” 

“Ah…” Mythra confirmed her own suspicion in her head, “Didn’t Father call that thing “Monado?”  
  
“Yes. When Shulk created the original weapon model this one is based on, it was made in the image of the Monado that Zanza championed. Naturally, the chosen designation for it, by him, was “Monado Replica.” But, by the time that was built, there had already _been_ Monado Replica. Shulk’s Monado Replica was meant to surpass the ones that came before it, so he worked tirelessly to complete it. The design changed multiple times, he said.”

“But _he did_ do it, yea?”

“Absolutely. When the model was finished, it was given a new name...Shulk, he wasn’t much for naming stuff, either, though. He preferred keeping things simple.” 

“Hehe. This Shulk kid, I tell ya. We are definitely more alike than I thought. Ya see, everyone back on Alrest called me an “Aegis”, so my sabre was just called “Aegis Sabre.” And so that’s what I called it, too. To me, it’s just a sword, but it’s easier if it has a name, I guess.”

Ontos nods while Mythra finishes speaking. “So what did he call that one?”

“Shulk had simply named it “Monado Replica EX,” as it was the most efficient version of the Monado Replicas at the time.” 

“So that’s what yours is called too?”

“Well, no. _Mine_ is a _replica_ of _his,_ with little modification, so _..._ I thought that it would only be appropriate to name it as such. My sword is called “Monado Replica EX Replica.” 

Mythra, eyes wide, kept a neutral stare on her brother for a moment before a snicker broke loose, which turned into a giggle, which turned into a few more giggles.

Ontos couldn’t help smiling at seeing his sister's beam, but also couldn’t understand the laughter itself. “...What’s so funny?”  
  
Mythra exhaled, opening her eyes to Ontos with a warm, gentle stare. She shook her head next. “Oh, Ontos~...You know, if you just copy someone's weapon, you can just call it the same thing. You have to prove me _wrong_ when I call you a dummy, _dummy~_.” 

Ontos couldn’t help but a snicker a few times himself. He began to set the weapon back down near the coffee table, allowing Mythra her victory.

“But nope! Now, _I’m_ not gonna let you change its name. It’s dumb, but really it’s just cute. So you gotta keep it.” 

“No sense in changing it, after half a century.” 

Mythra giggled once more. “Hehe. I guess not.” 

  
  


About a minute of idle chatter went by about what Mythra and Pyra, and by extension, Pneuma, had been up to during their last fifty years. All of it basically amounted to _same old, same old._

Mythra re-railed the conversation first. “So yeah, not much has changed, I’m afraid. Even with you here...Alicorn is just _way_ too distant. I’m not sure what we can do...but, just know that you being here _does_ give Pyra and I a lot of hope.” 

Ontos nods, frowning a bit. “They are extremely elusive. Their machines and weaponry far exceed even the _best_ of what I experienced on The Mechonis, ages ago. And they really do mean to put you through a “war of attrition”, it seems, as long as they can possibly keep it up.”

Mythra lowers her head a bit, speaking much softer. “Yeah...I honestly think that the only reason _we_ can keep up is because we’ve got the help of The Conduit, wherever you left it…”

“Hmm…”  
  


She returns to looking at her brother, this time with eyes of longing, quite possibly even desperation, for all of this to end. “A-And that’s right...Ontos, you _did_ find The Conduit, right? I wasn’t crazy for saying that, I don’t think, because you _are_ here. So...what happened? Could you not take The Conduit over here into Elysium as well? Was it...too powerful for you to do that? It’s power, right now, is exactly what we need, but…”

Ontos hides his solemn frown through his bangs, not _quite_ sure how to give his sibling this answer. “Ah...well, Mythra...that is complicated.”

Mythra shifts about in the cushion a bit, trying not to overthink the cryptic nature of her brother, or let it frustrate her. “Complicated? P-Please, tell me, Ontos. I want to hear it, brother. What did my Core Crystal show you? _What_ were you up to the last half-century? And _where_ did you put The Conduit?”

The Homs exhales a heavy breath. There was a lot to go over with that. He took the last sip of lukewarm tea out of his mug before addressing his sister proper. This wouldn’t be easy for either of them.

“I know, Mythra. I have kept you, and Pyra waiting...my beloved sisters, for fifty years. I will do so no longer. I will tell you everything about what I learned, and what I did. But first…”  
  


The Homs sighed. This one felt strained.  
  


“...As difficult as it is for me to reveal this, you need to know. I do not have The Conduit. I _did_ use it to make all of this happen, to make my return possible ...But, just as quickly as it granted my wish, was when it also left me.”

Mythra was left speechless for a moment, but quickly came to her senses, her voice slightly torn. “H-Huh? The Conduit...You’re telling me it’s _gone_? _Again?!_ ” 

“Yes. Unfortunately, I am.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter left! this was gonna be the last one but it was getting way too long  
> All shall be revealed soon!


	7. End of ACT II - I'd found . . .

The crimson Blade stepped briefly back into the living room to refill her siblings’ tea. She’d left as soon as she came, smiling all the way, though subconsciously feeling the tension that was removed from the air before _returning_ now.

  
  


Mythra picked up her mug, but didn’t sip from it. Her mind became too occupied with the subject matter the more she looked at her brother. She needed the warm tea cup this time, not to use the contents as refreshment, but to keep her nerves calm. After everything the past two millennia had stripped her of, she couldn’t afford losing her sanctity of mind, not _again_ , or perhaps, not a _third time_ , she supposed. The promise of her husband, the presence of her fire red sister, who was insurmountably strong for her, even under the same strain, and now, Ontos, was all Mythra had left. _But without her mind, she couldn’t cherish any of those things._

“O-Okay, Ontos...We can’t sit around forever. Let’s get started with my Core Crystal first. What did it show you? And the answer that you said you were looking for...did you _know_ it’d be there?” 

Ontos placed a bent finger to his chin. “Let me first answer your _second_ question: No. You could say my decision to ask to see inside of you was my own leap of faith. I myself was not sure if what I ended up looking for was _going_ to be there; however, I _did_ have a hypothesis that led me to that decision in the first place. My hypothesis was proven correct, nothing more.” 

“Hypothesis? About me? I-I mean, I think I remember telling you that I’d never even seen The Conduit, didn’t I? And you knew even more _about_ the thing than me, so how come you figured my memories would give _you_ any new info?” 

“Klaus. Though, it’d be much more accurate of me to say that my focus was geared toward someone _important to Professor Klaus_ , not he himself.” 

The Aegis shifts about in her cushion, moving her foot from under her thigh as she felt it begin to numb. “Huh. I guess it just keeps coming back around to Father...doesn’t it.” 

“Well, as I said, this time it wasn’t about Klaus himself. But your connection to him, based on our old conversation, drove me to a conclusion about a...friend of his.” 

Despite the heat of the aura surrounding the couch and coffee table, Mythra couldn’t quite tame her short giggle. “Father had friends? W-Well, I guess you did say Zanza had friends...But the Father _I_ knew just seemed like he locked himself up in his research all the time when he was young.” 

“For the most part, he did. He was just like Shulk, in that manner. Always wanting to finish his projects before spending time with anybody.” Ontos’ tone turned a twinge sarcastic. “But Shulk’s friends did not allow him the luxury of being holed up for days on end researching, and as with Shulk, Klaus had such a friend at his side.” 

“Yeah? And you say this person...was important for me? I don’t get it, brother.”

“We shall get there. For now, you need to know that her name was Galea. And the reason I wanted to see inside of your Core Crystal was not necessarily for any of _your_ personal memories. ...I was actually trying to look for _hers._ ” 

Mythra, simply put, was perplexed. “I-I still don’t understand...I mean, sure, whatever it was _worked_ , clearly, but...how can I have somebody _else's_ memories?”

Ontos snickers, and then smirks. It was his opportunity, however low, to get to play the “snarky remark” card. “Ah, it seems we didn’t remember everything, have we Mythra?”

Mythra gives back a stare that can only be described as _Really? You’re doing this now?_

 _“_ Heh. Ontos, quit it~. We’re being serious, so ya gotta tell me! I’m pretty sure you said something or the other about you having some of Klaus’ memories “given” to you, yeah? So there! Is that what you’re getting at?”

“Smart. I will continue now.” Ontos settles back down, serious expression returning. “As we’ve talked about, Klaus imparted some of his memories to me when I was ejected from my place on the Trinity Processor. Within my data lied some of his experiences, particularly those of which pertained to his personal research. Both on the Processor, and The Conduit.”

“So _you_ think, or well, you _thought_ this Galea person did the same thing with me? Just gave me her memories?”

“Again, I was not sure. Call that the leap of faith, based on intuition and hypothesis, at least. I knew that, through my continuous search prior to meeting with you, what was available about Klaus and The Conduit within the reaches of my data logs...simply would not be enough. When I had thought about the way you described our Father, _and_ about how you knew the half of him that created this whole big universe-conundrum in the first place, I’d come up with that hypothesis. The hypothesis that Galea could have imparted some of her memories unto you.”

“I-I get it now, I think.” Mythra shifted about once more, finally sipping from her mug, tea lukewarm. “And, seeing as how you’re here now, you must’ve been right about that.”

“Galea worked closely with Klaus on...nearly everything. The Trinity Processor, The Conduit, and Rhadamanthus. Wherever he went was where she went.”

“I guess when you put it like that, if Klaus could do it to you...then Galea may have wanted to preserve some of her experiences inside of me.” 

Quickly sipping from his mug gave the Homs his next thought. “I don’t think that’s a stretch to say, Mythra.”

“You didn’t then, either. So yeah, good work. I never would have considered something like that...I didn’t even know Father had friends.” 

“If it’s any vindication, Galea was basically his _only_ friend.” Ontos allowed himself to giggle, just a bit, dispelling some of the tension in the living room. 

Mythra joined in the rather somber laugh with her brother.  
Things weren’t quite right. No, they weren’t really alright at all.  
But...they had each other, and always would now.

Mythra didn’t want to let that go.  
She’s spent long enough shutting people out.  
She did it to Logos. She wasn’t gonna do it to Ontos.

Pyra, sensing more summons from her siblings, came back from the kitchen with a pot of fresh tea for them both, allowing them to have at it on their own terms. She bowed, and then left again, flashing puffy cheeks and puckered lips at both of her loved ones.

After taking another sip, Mythra prompted the question both of them knew was coming.

“So, it’s pretty obvious by now that whatever Galea put inside of me, I couldn’t see it...And I _still_ can’t. So, you gotta be my eyes on this, bro. What of Galea’s memories did she feel was important to leave with me, and how’d they help you?” 

Ontos’ serious expression returned as he set his mug down. Mythra noticed it was emptying and went herself to go and refill it for him. Ontos silently thanked her with a warm exhale. This explanation was going to be long. 

“Klaus, and Galea...when The Conduit first appeared, they’d joined a research group by the name “Aoidos.” This organization was fully dedicated to learning _everything_ there was to know of The Conduit. Klaus, as you know, was obsessed with the thing. It cost him many nights of sleep, and by extension Galea as well. Aoidos was Klaus’ ticket to staying near The Conduit, so he couldn’t refuse work from them. And Galea refused to leave Klaus to his own devices...else, what he eventually did end up doing would have occurred sooner.” 

“So, Galea...was she like his anchor to reality or somethin?” 

“Precisely. Galea was there to make sure Klaus stayed working within his means. Through this effort, she was able to closely...you could say “monitor” Klaus and his time with The Conduit.”

“Ah...I see.” Mythra and Ontos were both ignoring their mugs by this point. “Father definitely _was_ an obsessive person...It kinda shows itself in all of us, so I know. It must have been a good thing to have someone there that was always willing to just check up on you.”

“She...did much more than “check on him”, Mythra.”

“O-Oh.”  
  


Ontos shifted into a more relaxed position. “She was basically joined at his hip, taming his temperament at every opportunity. For as much of a strain mentally as that was for her and her responsibilities...I think she enjoyed it. She enjoyed being with Klaus.”

Mythra tucked her foot back underneath her thigh, leaning forward a bit. “Well, duh. You didn’t call her his friend for no reason, right?”  
  


“Correct.”

“Thought so. Which brings us to…”  
  


“Yes. What I learned from Galea.” 

Mythra’s expression screamed _finally._

Ontos continued speaking as Mythra watched attentively. “With Galea so close to Klaus at nearly all times, she naturally got to see his progression, and relationship, with The Conduit. And of course, though her feelings toward Aoidos were...distant, she didn’t shirk work from them, either. Whether she liked it or not, The Conduit would occupy her thoughts daily.” 

“And so she learned a lot of the same things about it that Klaus did.”

“Precisely again, Mythra. The memories of her time with Aoidos were also the memories of her time with Klaus, and The Conduit. _These_ memories, however, were not given to me by Klaus. Which is why, despite me knowing lots of information on the man himself, Klaus was of no help to me in tracking The Conduit back down. I needed to learn how The Conduit _behaved_ , not just how a man obsessed with it...well, obsessed over it.” 

“Gotcha, gotcha. So now you can tell me about what Galea knew of The Conduit.”

Ontos cleared his throat. “Galea, Klaus, and Aoidos, for everything else they knew of The Conduit, took to heart one thing about it that was absolutely imperative to them: It answered to _nobody_ on _their_ terms.”

“Ah. You played by The Conduit’s rules, or you didn’t play at all.”

“Yep. This will lead into why what happened during my run-in with The Conduit...happened, a little bit later.” 

Mythra shifted about again. Both of their mugs were cold. The sound and smell of Pyra making magic in the kitchen filled their ears, and noses, but not enough to distract either of them.

“Alright, Mythra. So, you surely know that things in the universe...they like to _move._ Everything in the universe is _always_ moving.” 

Mythra nodded. “Sure.”

“The Conduit...it is a part of the universe, as everything else is. Which makes The Conduit itself no different. Klaus was actually _mistaken_ in thinking that The Conduit was a product of the heavens, however Galea was not. She, and Aoidos knew the true nature of The Conduit.” 

Ontos paused to catch breath, then continued. “Klaus was not fully convinced of the hard facts. The Conduit was as symbolic to him as it was physical. He was lost in it’s grandeur. But Galea knew, as well as Aoidos, that _because_ The Conduit was apart of the universe, it too, wanted to _move._ ” 

“Well, if we’re talking, like, stars and planets and stuff, those things are always moving in circles. Planets move around Stars, and they make the Solar Systems and shit. And then those Solar Systems move around huge galaxies. But what _I_ know of The Conduit, from Father, was that it just _appeared._ A-And even when I had to free Logos...after that, The Conduit just decided to leave.”

“Uh-huh.” Ontos nods.

“If you mean to say that The Conduit just moves like everything else, well...It just doesn’t add up. The other shit out there moves in _predictable_ ways...But you even said yourself, brother, The Conduit just up and _left_ you. So is there a reason for even that?” 

Ontos sits up, straightening his posture to keep his thoughts organized. “It is as you ask, Mythra. The Conduit _does_ move, but it moves in very _unpredictable_ ways, indeed…”

“Why is that? Did Galea ever figure that out?” 

“She tried to. What she had determined was that it had something to do with The Conduit’s immense power. It is power channeled directly through spacetime itself, so it is very untidy in nature, _as is_ spacetime. The research team as a whole concluded that The Conduit might have been so powerful as to be able to supercede over many of the typical ways things in the cosmos move.” 

Mythra’s next question was obvious. “So...then how could they study the damn thing for so long? I mean, they definitely had to keep it in one place to be able to do that, yeah?”

“Yes. For Klaus especially, who was the closest to it, The Conduit needed to not have the chance to get away from him.”

“Yea? But it plays by its own rules, doesn’t it? You’re telling me Aoidos and Klaus just strong armed The Conduit and made it stay put?”

Ontos cracked a few of his joints before replying. “To keep The Conduit from moving, Aoidos had to alter the “game” it was playing.”

“ _Ah. Meaning, you change the playing field entirely, you change the terms_ **_everyone_ ** _gets to play with.”_

“Absolutely. And all of _that_ was made possible by the creation of the Conduit Reactor.” 

“Go on, this is getting good now.” Mythra moved her other leg up onto her cushion, crossing both of them under herself as she rested both hands atop her thighs.

“The Conduit Reactor was a complex machine, as big as an entire room by itself. It’s main purpose was holding The Conduit steady, so that it _couldn’t_ move. But, it had the purpose, also, of limiting some of its massive power output... These two things happening in tandem were _essential_ to Aoidos’ aspirations with The Conduit being successful. It _couldn’t_ move, and it _couldn’t_ release massive amounts of energy at once...or else.”

Mythra yawned, stretching her back out, but then gave Ontos her attention right back. “O-Or else what?”

Ontos raised one of his brows a bit. “What do you think? You get what’s going on in the universe _now_. Klaus...he broke the second rule of why The Conduit Reactor was built.” 

“Ah...Yeah. I guess in order to rewrite an entire _universe_ like he did...you’d have to ask The Conduit to do some really insane shit.” 

" _A_ _nd_ , with The Conduit being confined to one space... _unable_ to release all of that energy and then simply move itself to another point in space...well... _accidents occur._ ” 

Mythra sighed deeply, and then shrugged. She’d kinda _known_ this part was coming. “Heh. Yep. Good goin’, dad. It makes a lot of sense now that you’ve put it like that, brother.”

Mythra raised her next subject before Ontos could form a reply. “So, knowing that The Conduit moves...that’s what you needed to help find it again?”

“That was only the first part of it.”

Mythra’s eyes narrow. “Oh. Of course. The Conduit's just got layers upon layers of nonsense with it, huh?”

Ontos couldn’t hold back the laugh. “Heh. One could say so. But allow me to continue…”

Mythra nodded.

“I mentioned “accidents” earlier. You can guess as to what I mean when I say “accidents” and “The Conduit,” yes?” 

“ _Phase-transition errors._ Like the one that sent _you_ so far away from us.”

“ _Precisely. That_ was the second piece of what I needed half a century ago.” 

“Oh yeah?”

“Uh-Huh, you see, I had to-”

“Wait, wait, I need to…”  
  


The blonde uncrossed her legs. She’d felt them numbing again, but had also grown annoyed of the ache in her lower back from sitting up for so long. She figured to herself, _well my brother’s right there, he’s got legs, and I’m tired. Might as well just lay down_. And so, she did exactly that.

“O-Oh. Hello there.”

“Nope. You don’t get to complain, Ontos~. I let you lay on my lap _first_ . It’s _my_ turn now.” 

“Ah. I do not mind, sister. Make yourself comfortable.”

“Oh yeah, I will. Now, you were sayin?” 

Ontos took to stroking through Mythra’s golden locs, as they were the closest thing to him now. They both could somewhat feel each other breathing.  
Mythra also couldn’t help grabbing at some of her brother’s hair and twisting it through her fingers.

“This is another area in which I took a leap of faith, based on a hypothesis. However, this one, to me at least, seemed much more _highly_ plausible.”

“And that was?”

“Well...Mythra, Klaus told you that a phase-transition accident was what went and flung me out into another dimension, yes?”

Ontos continued, knowing what Mythra’s answer would be.  
“But how do you think The Rift appeared? Our worlds torn asunder? The destruction of _everywhere_ on Earth besides Elysium, _faster_ than even the wars of long ago could accomplish? How do you figure all of _that_ was possible? Mythra...there was something your, no, _our_ father wasn’t telling you.” 

Mythra looked away from Ontos’ eyes for a moment, processing his questions. She had quite a lot of feelings about Father. She couldn’t say that she truly hated him, but that his actions, yet and still, were deplorable. And just like her, Father was immortal. He spent most of his immortality regretting what he had done...what he’d _made_ The Conduit do. It was selfish, and rooted in narcissistic delusions of divinity. He’d dedicated the top half of his _entire_ career pursuing godhood through the catalyst of a device which was not holy, in any fashion. He played with The Conduit as if it were a toy. He didn’t understand it. And now, because of him…

Because of him, Logos had to die.  
Because of him, Earth is hanging by a thread.  
Because of him, her family had been thrown to shambles…

But, Mythra knew there had to be more... _something_ more. And if what Ontos was saying about Galea, and Aoidos, was indeed true...there was only one answer for the steadily breathing, blonde Blade.

“If...If Father messed up space-time...and _that_ sent _you_ off...But then all this _other_ stuff kept happening on top of that, well, yeah, Ontos, you’re right. You _weren’t_ just the _only_ “accident.” And you’re right about another thing: Father _didn’t_ tell me about all of those other ones...I definitely don’t remember him saying any of that. Call it due to crunch time, maybe. I kind of had Logos to deal with...so I couldn’t talk to my father forever.”

“Hmm…”  
  
“I-If I could...Maybe he would have gotten around to telling me that part. There’s a lot I wanted Father to tell me...But it just didn’t happen.” 

Mythra took an arm from her brother, wrapping it over her body near her neck, just above her chest. She snuggled closer to him. Her nerves were a little shaky, taking everything in, so this was helping her immensely.

Ontos exhaled. “Undoubtedly, Mythra, you are correct, about everything. Spacetime was torn asunder in a multitude of areas...Probably more than you or I could ever hope to try and uncover. I had learned that even with The Rift, my side of the universe was not safe from all of that unstable energy. It couldn’t possibly be.” Ontos took in another breath and then released it. “Outside of my corporeal form, the one you interact with now, I can move about the cosmos somewhat freely. Knowing what I’d learned from within you...and knowing what I, as an administrator, deem to be true about _spacetime,_ I had formed the basis for my next leap of faith. The leap of faith that _led_ me to The Conduit.” 

“ _Finally_...You’re gonna tell me how you found it?” Mythra sat up a bit, desiring Ontos to cradle her slightly in his arms, to which he obliged.

Ontos exhales again, this time with Mythra rocking gently beside him. “If time and space were indeed devastated by The Conduit’s own power, it’s own spacetime energy being made unstable...I had surmised that it was quite possible The Conduit would have it’s “terms” changed once again. The playing field altered.” 

“Yeah? Altered _how?_ ” 

“I thought that it’d had to have begun to move again, but differently to how it was doing it _before_ ...What if, say, it was _“attracted”_ _to those_ _unstable places?_ ” 

“You mean...The Conduit would want to go around, like, cleaning it up? Like, moving to those places with the messed up energy it dispersed, and putting it back to normal or something?”

Ontos gave a solemn nod, speaking his next words with much more gentle humility.  
“That...That was what I had hoped to figure out.”

“...Which means you ended up being right, didn’t you?”

“Well...not for forty-seven years, I wasn’t. I had set out looking for as many places as I could detect with unstable spacetime energy swirling about. Using my temporal form, I continued just as before I met you, wandering the cosmos...But _that_ time, I had something to look for.” 

Mythra leaned her head onto her brother's shoulder. “Yea?”

“Mhm. I searched these places...hoping The Conduit would appear when I’d arrived. It was almost like pining for a miracle. There were many times where I nearly considered trying something else, or quite possibly giving up...But, there are only so many places for things to _be_ , even in such a universe this size. _And, I had made you a promise. A promise that I was prepared to search the cosmos from each end to keep. Whether fifty, or five-thousand, or more years, I was going to get back to you, sister.”_

The thought that Ontos may have been wrong about his assumptions, forced to wander the cosmos for eternity...The thought that Mythra might have been dead before he’d ever get to return...The thought of all of that effort being wasted…

It honestly made Mythra sad.  
Sure, he was _here_ . Which means he was _right, somehow.  
_ But, Mythra couldn’t deny her feelings...She was sad.

She felt like she burdened him with that promise she told him to make.  
She felt like she burdened him now, making him fight with her against Alicorn.  
She felt like she burdened him fifty years ago, for...for answering him _at all._

She thought that all she wanted for so long was a connection with her family like this.  
It’s one of the few things she’s ever wanted.  
She got it...but, not how she’d hoped. _Not like this, things can’t be this way._

Her trance was broken by Ontos’ words, coupled with him shifting about his cushion.  
“Allow me to show something to you.” 

“H-Huh? O-Oh, I’m sorry...Yea, I’ll let you, just a sec.” 

Moments later, as Mythra returned to her own cushion, Ontos’, from his back pocket, pulled out something extremely mystifying, and yet, feeling familiar all at the same time.

“...Onto-...W-What?! What the hell... _is that?_ ”

Palm-sized, round, and with the sheen of pure Amethyst, the peculiar device had an effervescent gleam under the amber Ether lamp. The two opposing colors excited each other as they clashed, none being able to drown out the other. The light of the living room felt torn between the bubbly, cozy amber, and the elusive, illustrious violet of the amethyst object’s polished crystal surface. It brightened the room in an illustrious, yet possibly even _dubious_ way. It was truly mystifying to Mythra... _Was this the miracle Ontos was looking for?_

“T-That...That’s _almost_ like nothing I’ve ever seen. But...There’s no _way_ that’s a Core Crystal in your hand. Ontos, the Blades didn’t exist in your world, right? You only knew after I told you, so that _can’t_ be what I think it is, no way in hell. So...So what _is that?_ ” 

Ontos waved a hand over it, and then swiped up his bangs. He took a look at his reflection on the translucent, glossy surface, before giving his eyes back to his beloved sister. The sister with wonder in her eyes now, instead of sadness.

“Mythra...You will not be satisfied with this answer, but, as of right now, I am not completely sure what this is. So far, all I know about it... is what I had used it for.” 

“You mean to say you brought The Conduit back with that thing?”

Ontos held up the small device over the Ether lamp. “I had found...a distant planet. One that was _actually_ quite close to The Rift, now that I am remembering. In fact, it was closer to The Rift than I think I ever _cared to be_...It was very dangerous there. But, it also looked like, at one point, that there was living on its surface. I found ruins...ruins of buildings...I found dry lakes, I found razed plains...I found some of the most vile creatures I had ever laid eyes on. Each step through that blasted hellhole felt as if I were gambling with my life.” 

“O-Ontos…”

Ontos returned to looking at Mythra. This time, _he_ got closer to _her._ “But I kept going...I kept going for _you_ , sister. I kept going for _us._ ”

Mythra was immediately taken back to the Plains of Morytha.  
Whatever Ontos was describing, it sounded _exactly_ like those.

Mythra called out his name again, this time with a softness and sentimentality. “Oh...Ontos…”

“Soon enough was when I’d find a lone building...In the middle of a blasted downtown-scape. It went as high up as you could ever imagine. I think it might have even been meant to touch the stars, like Rhadamanthus...but that was neither there, nor is it here.” 

Mythra began fidgeting in her seat. The anticipation was _gnawing_ down her neck as Ontos proceeded.

“Because, dear sister…”  
  
“ _Y-Yuh-huh? Yeah?!”_

“I climbed...all the way to the top. At least, before the structure itself was cut off. The wind up there...I remember it vividly...It was absolutely howling...I felt as if, had there _been_ gods, they were screaming at me. They were _insisting_ that I escape. That I turn back. I did not listen…”

Mythra put both of her hands over her mouth. Ontos continued.  
  


“Because, sister…”

Mythra nodded rapidly.

“It was where I came across this.” He flashed the amethyst object again. “This little strange device...It was lodged inside of a much _larger, stranger_ device. A device I had scarcely encountered anything even remotely similar in all my years. I remember the shape: A broken double-helix, with five slots for devices like the one I present to you now. _This_ one such device, however, was all that I found left inside of the larger device. I got closer to it...and saw that there was still a bit of power.”

Mythra finally found her words again. Stammered and jittery. “Y-You...You activated it…”

Ontos smirked, which didn’t help with Mythra’s chills, even if she subconsciously knew her brother was with her and was _fine._ “Of course I did. I had something to _prove._ ”

“ _Goddammit, Ontos..._ **_You’re insane._ ** ”

All the Homs could do was shrug. _Maybe she was right. Still didn’t change the fact that he had something he needed to do._ “Are you perhaps, ready to hear what happened when I powered the thing?” 

“I-I don’t think so...But...But also, _I have to._ _You have to tell me._ ”

Ontos simply nodded, his expression turning neutral again. “Then I shall.”

Mythra’s eyes were as wide as windows.

“When I turned the thing on... _everything_ tore apart around me.”

“ **_What?!_ ** _”_

“I knew exactly what was happening...I had come to that odd planet to explore the unstable energy in spacetime that I had detected there. When I powered that device...It all came crashing down around me. The building shredded to pieces as the black winds freezing me whole up there _howled._ The gods above were scolding me for disobeying them. I saw dark rips in reality itself open up all around me...like cockroaches. It was absolutely bone-chilling, Mythra.”

Mythra, again, could only nod. She honestly felt like crying. She wanted to sob, but he was _fine...There was no reason to cry. He’s_ **_here_ ** _. He’s_ **_fine_ ** _._

“I witnessed that decrepit wasteland rip and tear, from as far as the horizon, to as close as _the space between my toes._ One hole in space time tore open that I think shocked me to my very core. _Massive. Massive was what that thing was._ It grew and grew...It was monstrous...Like death _itself_ had come for me. I felt as if every single facet of the cosmos I had cared about for _so long_ wanted to **_erase me._ ** I don’t know how long it was that I watched the darkness around me try to swallow that dead world, and myself whole.” 

A tear formed in The Aegis’ eyes. She couldn’t help it anymore.  
It was too vivid. Too real…  
His body...His body was fine. _But was his mind?_

“Everywhere around me was hell. It was darkness. It was destruction...I shouldn’t have even felt bad about it. That planet was dead long before I had gotten there. I was simply guiding it on it’s way out…” 

“W-When you talk...When you _say_ things like that, Ontos, it-”

“But. I _am_ here with you now. Remember that, Mythra. This next part is important.”

Mythra squeaked a bit, choking back a small sob. She was quiet.

“Because, my beloved sister…”

Mythra stayed silent.

“I was able to keep my promise to you after all. From within the black circle engulfing everything I _knew_ to be true...I saw light. That light grew...and it grew...until it was big enough to challenge the blackness. It eventually even became _bigger_ than that blackness. The light...It consumed _everything_. Just as the darkness had consumed everything...Both sights...were the most magnificent things I think I’d ever witnessed.”

Mythra let go of her heart, trying again to speak. “...Did it happen? What you said you hoped would?”

“That light grew to a size more massive than any of the black rips in spacetime had before it...It engulfed everything on that dead planet. The light reached every desolate street...every crevice, curb, and corner...The light was all over...and it was _incredible._ It filled every lake, ran the length of every plain, it shined on all of the dirty metal of the once great city and blasted apart all of the hideous monsters that were far beyond saving. And at the end of it all...The light, it _blinded_ me.” 

“W-What happened next??”

“...I awoke. I had apparently collapsed in the middle of a fragmented road. I assumed the reason why was because I ran out of oxygen. Once I could breathe, I could stand again. I could move again.”

“Y-Yeah?? And?”

“I..I had just looked around me...There were birds...I heard the rush of rivers and lakes...I saw grass again, and trees...I saw nature. The cityscape itself? It was largely still in disarray...The buildings were still toppled, the roads were still fragmented, and the street lights and signs were still slewed all over yonder about me. I was the only person to speak of, and even the building I had climbed was still collapsed, as if the light never cared about anything in that desolate city.”

“G-Goodness...This is...I-I just don’t know…”

“After getting a good look _around_ me...I had looked at the thing I, admittedly, was _ignoring,_ because I hadn’t believed it was really there.”

“...That was-”

“Yes...Yes, Mythra...I had looked directly in _front_ of me. And when I did...I saw it. I saw everything. I saw all of my fruits beared. I saw Shulk. I saw Klaus. I saw _my promise to you._ I saw _my answer, at last._ It was massive, and truly magnificent...I could see in that moment why our father was so captivated. It had _healed_ the broken planet I once stood on. I was... _truly amazed._ ” 

Mythra fell silent once more. She knew what was next.

“After forty-eight torturous years without you, or Pyra...I had found it. I’d found exactly what I needed to come back. It was right in front of me...What had appeared before me was The Conduit. Plain as the day it had given back to that desolate wasteland.” 

Mythra couldn’t help herself again. This time, she reached over Ontos’ shoulders...pulling him into a hug. Not quite able to draw her breath into words, but able to sniffle and hold him close. She gave him all the love in the world, silently thanking him for putting himself through such a hellish nightmare, just to keep a promise. She couldn’t fully process it. But she wanted to, _badly_. And so she just hugged him. She hugged him and began to softly weep. Moments turned to minutes. The siblings were both silent now. Moments turned to minutes. Then minutes turned to…

  
  


“Heeeeyyy!~” 

The crimson one trotted back out into the living room. Smile of satisfaction beaming over the amber haze of the lamps.

“Hey! Both of you, it’s done! Dinner is ready and I’ve made a bunch! O-Ontos, I’ll have you know that before _you_ can start eating, I want your-”

The two siblings, still wrapped in their embrace, gave an awkward gaze at the red one. Pyra stood with a look of pure confusion, intrigue, and anticipation over whatever Mythra had heard from Ontos that brought the two of them on the couch to where they were at _that_ moment. It was definitely going to be _something._

  
  


Pyra began to rub the oven mitten hand over her crimson hair, giggling softly. “U-Uh…I’m guessin’ I missed a lot, didn’t I?”

  
  
\-- Continue the journey of the Trinity Siblings against Alicorn --  
\-- In ACT III: Arrival. Departure. --

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're here! The end of the second act of Sieged Elysium.  
> This chapter...I tell ya, It was huge for me. A lot of the things I needed to establish here are going to permeate the rest of this project...I HAD to get it right. Suffice to say I went crazy more than a few times trying to put the pieces together in my head...  
> I've never gotten THIS far in to one of my own projects before, this is a huge milestone for me as an author, and so I want to thank everyone, EVERYONE from the bottom of my heart that is sticking with me through this, i love you all.
> 
> Look forward to act 3! We've got big things coming


End file.
